I Left My Heart in Seattle
by Nuwanda31
Summary: Reid and Riley are reunited after 7 months. The BAU goes to Seattle to help Riley and the PD in hunting down an elusive killer. Reid and Riley put aside feelings, and soon seem to be the only ones who can find him. Sequel to Lies My Therapist Told Me.
1. Eleven Months

Summary: Eleven months later, Reid is trying to move on in his life without Riley, who in turn has spent the last seven months working in Seattle. The BAU is then sent to the Rain City to investigate the case of The Undertaker, an infamous serial killer who buries his victims alive, the only clue of the location is a number. Reid and Riley have to put their feelings aside, especially when it seems they're the only two who can solve the case. Sequel to Lies My Therapist Told Me.

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is property of CBS, the writers, producers, and actors of the show. I have no authority over anything except original characters.

…

Her glistening eyes looked up to the sky. Overcast. Her head was throbbing from the impact… what had that been? A shovel?

There was hardly any light around. The soft orange glow of the street lamp from the end of the alley. Other than that, she lay in darkness. Cold droplets of rain sprinkled her face. It was raining, mixing with her tears. Her gentle sobbing muffled by the duct tape stretched over her mouth, twine tightly bound her wrists and ankles. The blow to the head had made her slightly disorientated.

Suddenly she felt her body being lifted into the air. She struggled slightly, but it was no use. Her captor was too strong. He hadn't raped her, as she had first suspected he would. In fact, she hadn't remembered him speaking a word. The silence was nerve racking. What was he going to do with her?

Suddenly, the gravity went out from under her and she tumbled into the far below. With a terrible, excruciating crunch, she landed into the wet, cold dirt. The tape stifled her cry of pain.

Her green eyes looked up, finding herself deep in the ground. He had put her in a grave. Her throat whimpered for him to stop, begged for him to let her go, but nothing made sense. The figure above began dumping the dirt on top of her until her sobs were silent.

…

The week had finally come to an end. After a tiring case in Tallahassee, the team came home Thursday morning and spent the next two days on paper work. Now they had a full weekend to themselves.

Reid signed his name on what must have been the hundredth form and slipped it into the finale folder. His eyes were tired, barely able to focus. He leaned back in his chair, trying to rub the sleep off until he made it home.

The rest of the group seemed to be on track with him, each one finishing their reports within the next few minutes. Reid had been hoping he could sneak out before they were done, he didn't want to be roped into anything.

"Done!" Emily exclaimed. "Finally."

"Me, too," Morgan said, standing up, allowing his muscles to stretch from their long bought of sitting. "Anyone up for a drink?"

"Me, definitely, yes!" Garcia cried, who had come out of her cave just moments before.

"I'm in," Emily agreed, seeing J.J. come out of her office. "J.J.? You want to come out with us?"

"No thanks, I've got to get home to my boys." She said. "Have a good time guys."

"See you Monday." Reid said half heartedly. Morgan headed over to his desk, leaning on the side.

"Should we even ask?"

"No," Reid answered. "I'm going home."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Reid, you don't want to do anything since you and Riley broke up."

"That's not true, I wanted to start drinking until I passed out. I wanted to burn all the things she left in my apartment, don't make it seem like I have no ambitions."

They weren't about to ease up on him, though. "Reid, you have to start getting over her." Garcia explained. "If you come out with us, you can have some fun, maybe it will take your mind off of Riley and if you don't come… everyone's going to be mad because we won't have a designated driver."

"Yeah, come on." Emily urged.

"Fine," Reid said, standing up. "But I'm not going to having fun."

"We'll see about that." Emily said, patting his back as he pulled on his jacket. Above them, the sound of a door opening was heard. Hotch, too, was exiting his office, ready to call it a week.

"Hotch, you want to come with us?" Morgan asked. "We're going out for drinks."

"Reid's going with you? Did his apartment burn down?" Hotch asked jokingly.

Reid rolled his eyes. The others found it funny and laughed, only adding to his annoyance. "I'll take a rain check, have a good weekend guys." He headed out for the elevators. "Be careful, though, guys. First snow of the season is predicted tonight."

In the middle of throwing his shoulder bag on, Reid paused at Hotch's words. _First snow of the season_. His first evening with Riley had been last year's first snow. Riley loved the snow. Was it snowing yet in Seattle? Had Riley gotten caught in it? Did she know by now she'd left her gloves in his apartment? "Guys…" he said, adjusting his bag. "I… I really… I'm just going to go home. Have fun."

Despite protests from the others, Reid made a beeline for the elevators. Alone at last. If he had to be alone, he was going to do it right.

…

3,000 miles and three time zones away, Riley was returning to her office with a full cup of coffee and a stack of disorganized files. Apparently the shrink here before her had absolutely no organization system. Even after seven months, she was still trying to put everything into order.

The entire Seattle Police Department wasn't going to fall apart in five minutes. Tossing the files in an unused chair near the door, Riley moved and sat down at her desk, slipping off her Mary Janes and put her stocking feet up, leaning her head back and closed her eyes. She was exhausted. Not since she had arrived had Riley gotten a full night sleep. She couldn't even remember a night she slept more than twenty minutes at a time. And when she did sleep… it was restless and uneasy.

Where does the therapist go when she needs therapy? Maybe she still wasn't used to sleeping alone… or maybe she felt guilty… or maybe she just missed him. Reluctantly, her thoughts turned to Spencer.

Leaving him had been so hard, especially since he had made it so easy for her to leave. Agreeing with her completely, telling her he'd support any decision she made. She hated how much of a gentleman he could be, yet she could hardly resist him when he was. But he was over her; that was good. He hadn't called, he hadn't e-mailed, Hotch hadn't even mentioned him. But that was good… he supposed to get over her… just like she should get over him. How pathetic would it be, calling him when he obviously… obviously didn't miss her…

"Parker?" a voice asked. "You sleeping on the job?"

Snorting slightly, Riley opened her eyes. She had fallen asleep accidentally. It seemed the only times she could sleep is when she thought about him. Sitting up, slightly embarrassed, she turned to greet her new visitor.

"Detective," she exclaimed. "What, uh… what are you doing here?"

"Waking Sleeping Beauty, it seems." He joked. "It's a shame; I didn't even get to kiss you."

"Try and you'll be singing soprano." She said, lightheartedly. 

"You know, I don't think you're kidding." He took a seat. "Tough case you're working on?"

"Yeah," she answered, her breathing returning to normal. "Sex Crimes… those are always the toughest."

"Well, you're going to have to pass that onto a resident shrink, Parker." He said. "We're going to need you on the Undertaker case."

"The Undertaker?" Riley repeated. "I haven't been briefed on that case. Are you sure you want me."

"You're the best we got, kid." He said. "The Undertaker us to take one victim every two months, now he's taken three just this week. We need to crack down and catch this guy… before he evolves even further. We need your help building a profile, investigating the suspects, getting inside this perp's head."

"A profile." She repeated. "Really?"

"Yes, ma'am." He declared. "I'd love to get you better acquainted with the case, but I need to get back to Homicide. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Oh, well… Logan…"

"I know, it's Saturday, but the Captain said we can't afford to wait until Monday."

"It's not that, it's just… I'm not so sure how good I'd be at… at profiling."

"Don't worry about it, you'll do great."

"Thanks," she replied, taking a sip of her now temped coffee.

"And you won't be working alone. Some behavioral unit from the F.B.I. will be here."

Riley choked on her drink. "The Behavioral Analysis Unit?" she asked, shocked. No, she must have heard him wrong.

"Yeah, that's it. They're supposed to be the best."

He slipped out the door, leaving Riley alone with her feelings of confusion and shock. "Yeah… yeah, I know."

…

"_You could take a later flight." Reid suggested, his hand gripping hers like either of them could be ripped away at any moment._

"_Yeah, an effort to postpone the inevitable." She said, turning to face them. They'd reached the gate. To Reid, the gates of Hell would have been more welcoming._

_He moved closer to her, his hand slipping onto her waist, slipping her shoulder bag aside. The words were in the back of his throat, begging to come out. _Don't go_._

"_I'll call you when I land, okay?" she said, a hitch in her voice._

"_You don't have to. Once you get on that plane… I'm not your boyfriend anymore." He wasn't going to cry in front of her. He had to stay strong._

_Riley, thankfully, was not so reserved. As her forehead reached up and pressed against his, the glisten in her eyes turned into tears, streaming down her cheeks. "Spencer…" her hands resting on his cheeks, "…what happened these last four months… I'll never forget it. You… you've been my best friend… you saved my life… I will…" her breathe came out sharply, willing herself to hold it together, "I will always love you."_

"_I love you, too." He said. _Don't go, don't go. Please, don't go.

_Her hands slipping behind his neck, she pulled him to her. His own arms wrapped around her, pulling her close, absorbing all her essence. Their lips met; a kiss that in a perfect world would have changed her mind._

_But a kiss is just a kiss. It ended slowly, like neither one wanted to admit it was over. Their eyes remained closed, still enveloped in each other. The sound of the final boarding call was heard. "I have to go," Riley whispered._

_Reid nodded, breaking down and letting his tears fall. She slipped from him and moved toward the gate. "Riley," he called._

_She turned back quickly. Reid knew what he wanted to say, but couldn't say it._

"_Have a good flight." was all he managed to get out._

Quickly, Reid jerked awake. He was lying on the couch in his apartment where he had collapsed after coming home. The place was littered in Chinese cartons, papers, books, dirty clothes, and other debris. Seven months and it still felt like yesterday.

A/N: I'm really sorry this took longer than I said. I had written a few chapters, and then I read over the chapters, and they sucked big time. I hope you guys like how this started. Stay tuned, I hope how you like where this goes. And it is after midnight here, so excuse the proof reading for not being perfect. I just promised myself this would be posted tonight before I went to bed

– By the way, is anyone else pissed they might kick J.J. and Emily off the show? Did you guys hear about that?


	2. Self Pitying Jerk

"I understand," J.J. said, her cell phone poised at her ear. "Yes, as soon as our team is briefed, we'll be on a plane to Seattle." She paused again, listening, shoving supplies into her bag, trying to remember anything she couldn't live without for the next few days. There was something about Saturdays that always made her feel rushed and disheveled.

But her thoughts were interrupted as her conversation continued. "Really?" she asked. "Oh… no, we don't mind her assistance, it's just… we'll, we're acquainted with her… no, it's not a problem, but I don't think we'll need her help, the BAU is fully capable- I understand, this is your case, we're just assistance, you're absolutely right. I'll inform the unit chief… we'll see you then."

She closed her phone slowly. Her eyes glanced up to see the team assembling in the bull pen. Morgan and Emily were already there, looking exhausted. Their night out apparently had gone a little too late. Her eyes darted up as she saw Reid enter. He seemed better rested than the others, but a film of misery lay over him.

Unsure how to handle this, J.J. rushed out of her office. Not bothering to acknowledge the others, she went directly toward Hotch's door and knocked.

"Come in," he said from inside. J.J. went in, quickly closing the door behind him. Hotch looked to her, concerned.

"There's something you need to know about the Seattle case." She said.

…

Reid set his bags next to his desk, allowing himself to collapse in his chair. Emily stared at him a moment. "Reid, you look worse than I feel."

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"Slightly hung-over."

He nodded, not wanting to indulge any further conversation. It was Saturday, it was early, and Reid had another night of restless sleep. Needless to say, his mood matched his energy – low.

"What, Reid, no statistics on the amount of Friday night drinking, no history lesson on the distillation of alcohol?" Morgan asked.

"The term "hangover" meaning "the after affects of night drinking" was first established in 1904." His snapped in a low, monotone voice. "Happy?"

Emily heaved an annoyed sigh. "Reid, I have a question, how much longer is this going to go on?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well, we're all tired of the 'Johnny Raincloud' routine. I'm sorry, but it has to be said."

"You're still upset because I didn't want to go out last night?" he asked.

"It's not just last night, Reid, it's every night." Morgan joined in. "It's every day. You never come out with us, you barely talk to us anymore and when you do, it's usually about the case. You won't even sit with us on the plane anymore. And Garcia told me you haven't had anything to do with Henry in months."

"Garcia said?" Reid exclaimed. "You guys talk behind my back more than you talk directly to me!"

"That's because you won't talk to us, Reid." Emily pointed out, standing up. She moved closer to him, sitting on the edge of his desk. "Look we're sorry that Riley was offered a transfer to Seattle and chose her career over you making you the innocent victim and all, but don't punish your friends for what Riley did to you."

"Riley didn't do-… I'm not punishing-…" every time he tried to argue his case, he already felt defeated. Before he could think of a definite thing to say, Rossi had made his first appearance of the morning. Reid fell back in his chair, emotionally exhausted.

Rossi, to-go bag strapped to his shoulder, moved carefully through the group, deciding not to inquire anything about the situation. "Play nice, children."

By that point, Morgan had calmed down. "Look, if you want to keep wallowing over her, that's fine. But you have to know that eventually, this has to stop."

He and Emily moved off, heading towards the coffee. Reid was alone, the way he liked it… but now he felt worse than ever. Heavy a sigh, gathering what strength he had, he followed suit.

Morgan and Emily, coffee in hand, were talking with a spirited Garcia. Apparently, she had taken over as designated driver when Reid bailed out. Reid appeared in the doorway, ceasing conversation.

Taking a deep breath, Reid nodded, trying to find the words. "You… you guys might be right."

"Might be?" Emily asked.

"Alright, I've been a self-pitying jerk for the last seven months! Are you happy now?"

"A little bit," Morgan replied, smiling.

"Hey, guys," J.J. called. Hotch and Rossi headed towards the conference room. "We're ready."

Rossi and Hotch, already seated, were discussing something quietly. Reid was the last one to enter, and at the sight of him, they stopped abruptly.

Exchanging one last glance, Hotch nodded and stood up. "Reid," he said, "We're thinking maybe you should sit this case out. Work with Garcia here or take a few days off if you want."

Confused, Reid looked between the two agents. "Have I done something wrong?" he asked.

"No, Reid, it's not that," Hotch continued, "This case might be… sensitive for you. We'd like you to stay behind."

"Why?" He was feeling edgy. "I don't understand. I'm sorry I haven't performed up to my standards, lately. I'm going to do better; I'm not going to let my personal problems get in the way anymore. You have to believe me."

"We'd like to Reid," Rossi began, not bothering to stand up. "Why don't you listen to the briefing and then make your decision."

Nodding, Reid took a seat next to Emily. What could possibly be so debilitating in this case, the others would want him to stay behind. Out of all his scenarios, he could never have expected what was to come.

"Over the last thirteen months," J.J. began, clicking the remote, "Seattle has been falling victim to an unsub known as the Undertaker. He chooses his victims by people traveling or working alone at night. He kidnaps his victims and the next evening," she clicked another screen as several handwritten letters were shown, each with the same signature "the families receive disturbing notes of the disappearance, signed the Undertaker. All the notes collected, it equals eleven victims. So far, only five have been found. None have ever been discovered alive. The victims have nothing in coming except for being alone at night. Age, race, and gender all vary, although most have been women. No sign of torture or rape has been found. There have been wounds, indicating a blow to the head, and cause of death is suffocation, obviously by being buried alive. The legs and arms are bound with bailing twine and the mouths covered in duct tape.

"His previous MO was to capture a victim every two months, but he's escalated to every few days." She said, turning to the group, away from the screen.

Reid read over the evidence. Seattle. That figures.

"Seattle PD called this morning." J.J. continued. "Maria Engles never came home last night. Her mother found a note with the morning paper. It's from the Undertaker."

Now, J.J. seemed to hesitate. It was obvious there was more, but the ability to speak was complicated. She took a deep breath, glancing at Reid from the corner of her eye. "They also wish us to know we won't be working alone. Along with the Seattle police… they have requested additional assistance from their resident FBI psychiatrist."

Every now found Reid to be the most interesting thing in the room. Surprised and a bit confused, he shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "You guys are jumping to conclusions. What makes you think it's going to be her?"

His eyes landed on J.J., who's expression immediately turned sympathic. As searching for evidence, he turned to Rossi, and finally Hotch, both watching him with a stern, unsure appearance.

Shocked, "It is her?"

"Now you see why we think you should stay behind?" Rossi explained.

Reid sat back, trying to think clearly. Staying behind would probably be the best option. Being thrown back into such a serious environment with Riley when he so clearly wasn't over her could cost a lot of damage. He had trouble with his work when she was his therapist. Once they were together, things were better. He had no trouble focusing. Except of course when a case became too intense and therefore kept him away too long.

But he and Riley were over. Just the memory of her was debilitating him. Maybe he needed to face her, and use that get over her.

"Guys, I appreciate that." he said, folding the case file closed. "But I'm a professional, and she's a professional. We can work together."

"Reid, you couldn't even be her patient without sleeping with her." Morgan oh so tactfully pointed out.

"Thanks, Morgan," he said sarcastically. "Look, if you order me to stay, I will, but I want to go. I can go."

Despite his better judgment, Hotch sighed heavily. "Alright, we leave in 30."

Midflight, the team waited on board to arrive in Seattle. After extensive notes and discussion on the case, everyone had dispersed on board. Hotch and Rossi sat closer to the front. Morgan, Emily, and J.J. had gathered in group, playing gin. Reid on the other hand had chosen a corner by himself, a book in hand.

Deciding to invade his space, the three left their game to join him. "Hey, what are reading?" Emily asked.

He held up the cover of the book. A tattered green copy of The Shining.

"You've read that before." Morgan pointed out. "I've seen you with it."

"I'm not really reading it." He said, closing it. "I just…" he shrugged. "It was Riley's."

"Reid," J.J. said in a half whisper. "Are you sure you can handle this?"

"Why do you guys assume I can't handle this?" He hissed out, not wanting to draw the others' attention. "Riley and I are adults."

They wanted to trust their friend, and they would give him the benefit of the doubt. Still, an unsure apprehension hung around them.

Reid on the other hand had knots growing in his stomach. At first, believing he knew her, he was sure Riley would come back after a few weeks. She would come back and they would move on with their lives together and she would love him even more for giving her freedom. But she never returned, she never even contacted him.

He had to come with them. He had Riley Parker in his life for a short time, and that was all he was allowed to have. Now, he would get to see her again; a chance to prove to her, as well as himself, that he could live without her.

A/N: Yeah, I know, this is really late. As I say, life gets in the way sometimes. But I'm getting back to working on this. There's some great stuff planned for this one, so stay tuned. And again it's late and I have work early in the morning, so excuse any major proofreading errors.


	3. Levinson and Novak

A/N: And who else thought the premiere was amazing?

Upon their arrival, the weather was awful. Cold, but not enough to snow, the rain was icy, beginning to slick up the roads. The team gathered at the airport, bags in hand, gearing up with a game plan.

"Okay, everybody," Hotch said as everyone gathered around. "Morgan, you and Prentiss go to the Engles' home and talk to the family, the rest of us will head to the police station."

"Actually, Hotch… I'd rather go to the Engles'… if you don't mind."

Everyone's attention turned to him. Hotch looked severe at his words. "Reid, I thought this wasn't going to be a problem."

"It's not a problem!" He urged. "I can handle this, I just… I think my expertise might better serve the profile if I meet the family."

Hotch still looked angry, but Rossi intervened. "That's not a bad idea. You go with Prentiss, Reid. Morgan's with us."

Now, with everyone in agreement, they began to go their separate ways. Morgan and Emily glanced at each other in silent agreement. There was more to this than Reid was letting on.

The two made it to their assigned SUV and climbed in. Pulling out into the hazardous weather, the windshields hummed ferociously. The only sound in the car, it was worse than a ticking clock, counting down the limited amount of time Reid had to stall the inevitable. He focused on the freezing rain, trying to ease his rapid heartbeat.

"Reid," Emily asked, breaking the silence. "Why didn't you want to go to the precinct?"

"I already told you," he answered.

She glanced at him, flipping on her turn signal. "Reid, be honest. Weren't you the one who said we were your family?"

She was right, and he had been neglecting them lately, drawing into himself. He took a deep breath. "Why do you think?" he asked rhetorically.

"If you don't want to see her, then why did you come?"

"Em, I do want to see her. You have no idea how much I want to see her. I just… it's only been a few hours since I found out I'm going to see her. I just… I wanted a little extra time to get used to the idea. I don't want to be a wreck in front of her."

She glanced at him again as they waited at an intersection. Her expression was one of sympathy, seeming to understand. "She really had a hold on you, huh?"

He chose not to answer. Simply, Reid sat back in his seat, waiting for the light to turn green.

Meanwhile the rest of the team arrived at the precinct. As usual, the arrival of the FBI unveiled the territorial feelings among the officers. Local law enforcement never responded well to the interference of the FBI, like it was a message to the rest of the world that they couldn't handle their job.

Still, they were used to it by now. A young rookie lead them through the precinct to the conference room. Inside was a mess; complete chaos. Messy files combined with empty coffee cups and food containers littered the entire table. The bulletin board was scattered with evidence, but it looked more a third graders sick collage than any help to the case.

Inside stood two detectives: a man in his late thirties and a young woman no older than 26. Both stood in the middle of what appeared to be a concentrated discussion. They stopped as the agents entered; the woman rolled her eyes at their arrival.

The man, however, seemed pleased. "You must be the BAU," he said, smiling. "I'm so glad to have you here, Detective Logan Levinson,"

"SSA Aaron Hotchner," Hotch said, clasping his offered hand. "These are SSA Derek Morgan, SSA David Rossi, and Agent Jennifer Jareau. We also have two fellow agents already with the Engles family. They'll be here later."

"Wonderful," Detective Levinson replied. "I can't tell you how relieved we are to have you here."

Her back turned to them, they heard the woman give a quick, sarcastic laugh. Levinson glared at her for a moment. "This ray of sunshine is my partner, Detective Leona Novak." He turned to her, speaking like a father patronizing his five-year-old. "Leona, say hello to the nice agents."

She turned, scowling slightly. "Hello. Glad you could make it."

"We're happy to assist you." Rossi said. "Please understand, this is still your case. We're just here for support."

"Right, it's our case until you catch the guy. Once you snag him, you'll be sure to claim the credit."

"That's not how it works, Detective." Hotch assured. "Shall we get started?"

"Where's the other one?" Novak asked, turning back to the board. "It's bad enough we have to bring in federal help, but we also have to have _her_. Who also happens to be federal, might I add."

"Dr. Parker," Levinson enlightened, "will be in shortly. She had an emergency call to return. Dr. Parker is our resident psychiatrist, you'll like her."

"We're actually familiar with her," Hotch stated as they all sat around the messy table.

"Of course," Novak said, still not sitting down.

"Leona," Levinson urged, trying to get her to see reason.

"Come on, Logan, do you really think that's a coincidence? They're all feds; of course they all know each other."

"That's right, Detective," a voice said in the doorway. "The government just brought us in to keep an eye on you. That's what you want to hear, isn't it?"

The group turned around, pleased as they saw the familiar figure of their old friend. Riley had barely changed. Her hair had grown a bit, and she looked paler and a bit sleep deprived, but it was her. She smiled as she spotted the team. "I thought I heard some familiar voices."

The group got up to greet her. Hotch first, having known her the longest, kissed her cheek and gave her a big hug. J.J. hugged her as well, followed by friendly kisses from both Rossi and Morgan as Hotch had done. Surprised, she looked around, finding only Novak and Levinson. "Well, let's get started. If we're lucky, we'll narrow down some leads by lunch."

"Reid and Prentiss are speaking with the latest victim's family." J.J. explained. "They should be here in a couple of hours."

"Oh," she exclaimed. Apparently this news had been unexpected. "Well… let's get started anyway, we can fill them in when they get here. And they can fill us."

They each took their respected seats, Riley sitting next to Hotch. She focused her eyes on the closest file, trying to appear busy, secretly feeling her breakfast morph into butterflies.

When Reid and Emily arrived at the Engles home, they could deduce that Maria's disappearance had not remained a secret. Police vehicles and news vans mixed with cars up and down the street. Emily and Reid searched for almost fifteen minutes, eventually parking two blocks away, forcing them to endure the freezing rainfall.

They made their way towards the crowd surrounding the house. Considering the weather, the amount of people was astounding. If the Undertaker had wanted to be famous, he certainly got his wish. Using their badges to pass the police, they carefully climbed the many icy steps up to the front door. Emily knocked as Reid took a glance around the porch. It was unkempt, littered with dead leaves and a few children's toys which looked to have been abandoned in there places decades ago.

A woman answered the door, wearing a robe over her pajamas. "Yes?" she asked, sounding distraught and frightened.

"Mrs. Engles? We're with the FBI, Behavioral Analysis Unit." Emily said as both she and Reid held up their badges again. "We're investigating your daughter's disappearance."

"The FBI?" she asked, unsure.

"Ma'am, is it alright if we come in?" Reid asked. "It's pretty cold out here."

She glanced behind him, noticing the precipitation. She nodded, stepping aside to let them in.

The place was rather cold. Apparently, learning that her daughter had gone missing by an elusive serial killer caused such minor things to slip her mind. She wrapped her robe tighter around her. "I'll make some coffee," she said, stepping out of the room.

Emily and Reid removed their wet coats and hung them on a nearby rack. They moved into the sitting room, looking around. The place seemed to belong to a happy family, judging by the amount of photos around. Three boys and a girl. Maria seemed to be their only daughter.

About ten minutes later, Mrs. Engles returned with two mugs for the agents. Reid accepted his thankfully. "Please, sit," she said, sitting on one of the two parallel couches.

"We don't want to ruin your furniture," Emily said, "Our clothes are a little damp."

"My life is already ruined, Agent," Mrs. Engles said. "My daughter is dead. What do I care about my furniture."

"Your daughter was only taken last night. Odds are she's still alive." Reid explained.

Mrs. Engles turned and stared down Dr. Reid. "My daughter was taken by the Undertaker, Agent. I've followed this case for months." She paused, taking a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "I was fascinated by it, and never once did I even think to warn Maria. And now…" she covered her eyes, unable to continue.

"Is this Maria?" Emily asked, grabbing a framed photo of Maria's face. She was very pretty, with thin black hair and a bright smile and a pair of bright blue eyes. Around her neck was a silver necklace, a diamond encrusted M sparkled at the end.

Mrs. Engles nodded, taking the photo. "Yes. This was her last high school picture. She's a sophomore at Seattle U, studying to be a lawyer. She had hope of being the District Attorney one day. God she loves to argue… loved to argue."

Tears escaped from Mrs. Engles eyes as she stared at her daughter's picture. Reid left his search around the room and sat next to Emily across from the grieving mother.

"Mrs. Engles, we know this is difficult for you," Emily said. "but is there any information you can give us about Maria that could lead us to her disappearance."

She took a deep breath, attempting to stop the tears. "I'm not sure what I could tell you that could help."

"Did Maria often walk alone at night?" Reid asked.

She thought for a moment. "I don't know. Maria had a car, I can't imagine why she would need to walk alone. She had friends at school, a few in town that she knew from high school… come to think of it, Maria was almost never alone."

"Do you know where she might have been last night?" Reid inquired.

"It was Friday night, Agent, and Maria was a very sociable girl. What did you do when you were in college?"

"Ma'am, I was just hitting puberty when I was an undergrad; I don't think Maria and I would share any common interests."

Mrs. Engles looked confused and alarmed, as most did when it came to Spencer Reid.


	4. The Reunion

The rain had thankfully died down by the time they left the Engles house. News reporters tried to pump them both for information on the way to the car. It was amazing how people came out of the woodwork when tragedies arouse. Mrs. Engles had even admitted her interest in the Undertaker when he was just a local, infamous criminal. She had been one of those fanatics just a day ago, now she was a victim and the Undertaker had shattered her world.

"Maria was a smart girl," Emily voiced as they made it onto the highway. The station wasn't too far, and the traffic had thinned by this point. "According to her mother, she was hardly ever alone. Why suddenly would she change her pattern?"

"Kids lie." Reid said. "About everything, they say they're being safe when they're not or they're studying when they're partying or they spent their money on food and laundry when they spent it on liquor."

"Do you lie to your mother?" she asked.

"My mother's a paranoid schizophrenic, Emily. What do you think?" He absentmindedly adjusted himself in his seat as he thought. "But let's consider she was telling the truth until we know otherwise."

"Which brings us back to my question. Why suddenly change her pattern?"

The metaphorical light bulb blazed over Reid's head. "Maybe she didn't."

"Come again?"

"Think about it. You went to college, at the typical age. Maria goes to a party, meets someone new. They like each other, they decide to go somewhere else for some food or just be alone…" he glanced at her, indicating the rest is obvious.

"So whoever she was walking with could have been the Undertaker."

It seemed thin. "Maybe," he answered. At the very least, his mind had found something else to concentrate on… briefly.

…

And brief it was. All too soon, Emily and Reid had made it downtown, just minutes from the police station. The rain was holding off for now, and with the wipers off, there was a disturbing silence in the car. Reid took a few deep breaths to settle himself, suddenly aware his hands were shaking.

He glanced over, noticing Emily watching him cautiously, attempting and failing to be nonchalant about it. "I'm fine," he voiced aloud.

"I didn't say anything," she assured.

"I just… want it on the record."

They parked down the street from the station. At first thought, Reid considered telling Emily to go ahead, giving him a few moments alone to gather himself. But he could sit out there for hours, it wouldn't make a difference. Facing the ex-girlfriend you're still in love with wasn't a skill he'd trained himself in.

Inside was busy, but not as hectic as expected. J.J. spotted them from across the room and came to meet with them.

"How'd it go at the Engles'?" she asked, wasting no time.

"Worse than you'd expect." Emily stated. "Mrs. Engles lives alone, her husband died last year. She has three sons, one is in prison, the other two severed contact with the entire family. Maria was all she had left. She's already given up hope of finding her."

"Did you guys find out anything?" Reid asked.

"We met the two detectives in charge of the case, Novak and Levinson. They briefed us on all the victims and the five crime scenes. The others are tracking down some leads right now; I'll let you guys in on what you missed."

The conference room was empty. He walked in, anticipating on finding Riley in there. Half relieved and half disappointed, he stepped over to the messy bulletin board, examining what evidence they had managed to collect.

"Is there any coffee?" Emily asked.

J.J. nodded. "I'll show you where it is. Reid?"

"Hmm," he said, barely indicating her.

"Do you want some coffee?" She inquired, trying to pull his attention.

"Sure," he muttered. "Whatever."

He heard them leave; unaware of the knowing look they shared over their distracted friend. Reid was alone.

Ten minutes passed, but how long he actually remained alone, he didn't know. After some time, he heard a familiar voice exclaim. "Hey, Braniac."

Startled, he turned slowly and saw the intruder. Her pink lips curled in an elegant smile over her slightly crooked white teeth, the smile that had driven him crazy for over a year. Her arms were crossed over her chest, clutching a few files to her, leaning against the door frame, over looking the man before her.

"Hi," he said, surprised he smiled as well. He had been nervous and anxious to see her since that morning, but it wasn't until this very moment did he realize just how happy he was to see her.

Reid wasn't exactly sure what to do; what the exact protocol was in this situation. Luckily, Riley took the intuitive. She set the files down on the nearby table, rushing forward and pulling him into a hug. "God, it is so good to see you." She said, holding him close to her.

Seven months. He hadn't held her in seven months, and every night for seven months, he longed to again. Finally, without warning, she was in his arms. He wrapped himself around her, enveloping her. It was like she'd never left. He inhaled her scent, his fingers entwining themselves gently in the tips of her curls.

All too soon, she pulled away, though she remained clinging to his neck. For a moment, he thought she was planning to kiss him. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." He said, feeling her finally slip out of his grasp. "You look… great."

"Thanks," she said, pushing a few pieces of loose hair off her face. Her brown eyes sparkled; just like they always did, with the illusion of diamond dust. "So do you."

"I take it you like Seattle." It was Reid's subtle, passive aggressive way of wondering why she never called.

"Yeah, I do," she replied. "It's really starting to feel like home." She brushed her arm, like she was wiping away some lint, but Reid suspected she was avoiding his eyes. Careful not to smile, Reid knew she wasn't being entirely truthful.

But trying to get her back was not apart of the plan. He came here to work with his team, solve the case while simultaneously proving to both Riley and himself that he could move on. No matter how much he loved her… and always would. Riley wanted to be here. If she didn't, she would have come back by now.

"Hey," Emily said, walking in with JJ, each holding a cup of coffee, JJ holding an extra one for Reid. "Are we interrupting anything?"

"No," Riley answered quickly. "Just… getting reacquainted."

"We've missed you in Quantico, Riley," Emily said, taking a seat. In four months, Riley had gotten close with everyone on the team. Usually, she met up with them for drinks and often gave her professional opinion on difficult cases. "Any thoughts about coming back?"

_Subtle, Emily_ Reid thought.

"Uh," she muttered, still avoiding Reid's eye. "well, I am pretty settled here… but you never know, maybe in the future."

"Guys," Hotch announced walking in. The interruption couldn't have come at a better time. He was desperate for a change of subject, and from the look on Riley's face, the feeling was mutual. "We've found Maria Engles' body."

"Already?" J.J. asked. "She just went missing last night."

"A neighbor noticed someone digging last night next door. She heard the news report on Maria being taken by the Undertaker and called the police on what she saw. A few officers are already there, they think it's Maria."

"She hasn't been dead that long," Reid said. "There might be more evidence than they got off the others."

"Okay, Prentiss. You go with Morgan to talk to the corner and check out the other bodies in the morgue. Try to find any similarities. Reid, you and Riley go check out the crime scene. JJ, I need you to contact the newspaper companies, keep them pressing the safety issues."

Staggered, Riley spoke up quickly. "Hotch… don't you think you ought to go with Reid?"

Reid as well as Hotch turned to Riley, bewildered. "What's the problem?" he asked. "You did agree to assist on this case, right?"

"There isn't a problem, I'm just…" she glanced at Reid, as if silently asking for support. "I'm not… familiar with working at crime scenes. I can look over it once it's in the file."

"Working on a team like this includes field work, Riley," he said. "And for our time here, you're apart of this team. If you can't do that, then maybe you shouldn't be on this case."

Riley cleared her throat, obviously torn slightly in the situation. However, she didn't respond. Hotch excused himself after a moment, sending the agents on their way.

"Does he always…" she couldn't seem to find the words.

"Act so serious?" JJ tried to finish.

"I was going to say 'have a stick up his ass', but that's a bit more elegant." Riley replied. She looked to Reid. "Are you ready? Do you think you can handle a rookie at this?"

"Sure," Reid answered hastily, rushing out the door. His attitude had changed so instantly, taking Riley by surprise. She took another glance at Morgan, JJ, and Emily, then went after him.

Morgan took a quick glance at his watch. "It starts. Not even five minutes and it starts."

"How do you think this is going to turn out?" Emily asked, gathering her things, ready to head back out.

"I don't know," Morgan replied, reopening the door for her. "But I do know that, whatever does… it's going to be fun to watch."

"You practically sadistic, Morgan," JJ said. "Reid and Riley are our friends, we should be helping them."

"Reid and Riley are the two most stubborn people on the planet." Morgan retorted. "Especially when it comes to how they feel about each other. If they weren't, do you really think she'd have taken this job? Do you really think he would have let her go? And even if they had, do you really think they'd have stayed apart for seven months? No matter what happens… it's completely up to them."

…

Riley finally caught up with Reid outside of the precinct. "Hey, could you wait up, please?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Reid said, stopping in his tracks and whipping around to face her. "I wasn't aware you actually wanted to go with me."

"Spencer, it wasn't personal. I'm not an agent; I've never worked in the field before."

"Really?" he asked, skeptical. "That's why you objected? You could have fooled me!"

"I would have objected to going with anyone!" She exclaimed. "There's a lot of pressure on this case. I've never done this before! I was working on something for Sex Crimes in a job that I still can't seem to get used to and suddenly I'm brought in on the most popular, most intense serial homicide case Seattle has seen in a hundreds years trying to perform a specific expertise I'm not even sure I have!" She paused again to catch her breath, sending a puff of air upward to brush some fly away bangs off her face. "Please understand."

Reid was being over dramatic. He was so concerned about how he felt about the situation, he didn't even consider her feelings. "I'm sorry," he said.

"It's okay," she said. "I'm just nervous… I didn't even consider how objecting might feel to you. I guess I just assumed you were over me and it really wouldn't bother you." She thought for a second. "You… you are over me, aren't you?"

"Of course!" Reid lied quickly. "Yeah… of course."

"Good," she said, smiling lightly. "Because I'm over you, too. And I'm glad… we've both moved on, but we can… still be friends… and all."

Reid nodded, looking her over. He had planned so many things to say to her; so many well chosen, perfect words to express should she ever stand before him like this. But he was silent, watching her shiver in the cold.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "You look like you want to say something."

He shook his head lightly. "Just that… you look cold."

She laughed lightly. "That's probably because I am cold. I forgot my coat, would you wait for me?"

"Sure," he said sincerely. He muttered under his breath, "Forever,"

"What?" she asked.

"Whatever, I said 'whatever'."

Smiling thankfully, Riley delicately brushed his arm and rushed back inside. Reid watched her, savoring her every move. He waited, his perfect chosen words running through his head, wondering if he'd ever get another chance to say them.

A/N: Tonight's JJ's last episode. I'm going to cry! :( Regardless, however, in this and any upcoming stories, JJ will still remain.


	5. It's You

The weather had warmed slightly. A slight drizzle of rain started again; at least it wasn't icy. Reid and Riley made their way across town to the address Hotch had given them. Pulling into an alley, the flashing of silent police lights glimmered halfway down.

They pulled up and got out quickly. The sprinkle hit them immediately. As light as it was, it wouldn't be long before they were soaked. Reid's overnight bag was still in the car. As a stroke of luck, Emily had taken hers out upon their arrival at the station, meaning Reid had no strict reason for returning once they were finished. He could stay with Riley for as long as he wanted.

He shook the idea off immediately. Even if he wanted to consider rekindling their relationship – which he didn't – he shouldn't be thinking about it now. Standing over an innocent deceased victim in shallow grave deserved more respect.

An officer stood by the back gate. Reid and Riley flashed their badges; he stepped aside, ushering them in.

"Are they sure it's Maria?" Riley asked. Two members of the crime scene unit were busy over a muddy mess. Reid suspected it was the body.

"We found this." The officer said, holding up an evidence bag which held a silver necklace. The talisman had a sparkling diamond M on the end of it and the chain had been broken. "It was on the body."

"It's Maria." Reid said, taking the necklace. "She was wearing it in her senior photo. Call Agent Hotchner, have him contact her mother so she can identify the body at the morgue."

The office went off to make the request while Reid slipped the necklace in the bag. Mrs. Engles would want that back. Riley looked at the body apprehensively. The crime unit stood around her, unable to continue their search until the coroner showed up.

Seeing a body like this for the first time was a shock. Even now, it affected Reid, giving him nightmares. After so many years, he knew how to handle the bad dreams and restless nights. He'd even come to appreciate them. As an old friend had reminded him, a long time ago "I guess the day this job stops gnawing at your soul and your hands stop feeling cold, maybe that's the time to leave." When the nightmares stopped, when he truly became numb to this job, that was the time to be scared.

Slipping his hand into hers, Reid led her over to the grave. Mixed with the mud and the sludge lay a once admired and innocent girl; a future lawyer with ambitions to become a prosecutor. The dreams and talents that flowed through that girl had died with her. Her wrists were bound with twine, cutting into her skin enough to draw blood. An opened wound lay on the back of her head, obviously the spot where her captor had knocked her out. Had it killed her? Or did she wake up, only to find herself buried under tons of dirt?

These thoughts ran through Reid's mind. One look at Riley proved she was thinking the same. Moving around the body, the eyes were closed and her frightened face was half burrowed in her arms. Lines of mascara striped down her cheeks to the line of duct tape over her mouth, apparently from tears.

Reid stood moved closer to her. He didn't need to speak, Riley understood. "I'm okay," she said, unwilling to move any closer. To his surprise, however, she quickly grasped his hand. It was more like they were standing before a lost friend, the kind of friend you didn't know to well, but wished you had after they died.

The coroner's assistant showed up a few moments later and set to work. "Our office has never been busier than these last few weeks." He stated, looking over the body. "The head wound wasn't the cause of death. No dirt under the fingernails means she didn't try to dig her way out. Not sure if it's because her wrists were tied or not."

Back to work, Reid's hand slid out of Riley's as he squatted beside the shallow grave. He watched the process; the coroner continued. "Dirt in the nose. Cause of death is probably suffocation, but we'll know for sure after the autopsy. Not much more I can do here. Let's put her in the meat wagon."

"You know, you could show her a little more respect." Riley cried as the assistant climbed from the grave. "She was alive only twenty-four hours ago!"

"Well she's not now," the assistant said. It sounded almost comical.

Riley stepped forward, ready to rip him a new one, but Reid intervened. He stepped in front of her, pushing her back. "Just let it go," he whispered to her. "You're not going to help anyone by getting upset."

Riley took a deep breath, trying to keep the tears from escaping. Reid's hands firmly gripped her arms, holding her from going off the handle again. The crime unit worked on getting Maria out of the grave and into a bag. Still upset; Reid's hands left her arms, slipping around her waist and pulling her close to him. She seemed to accept that, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. He inhaled the familiar scent from her hair again. The same perfume mixed with nicotine. The rain fell slightly harder.

…

An hour and a half later, Maria had been taken to the morgue and Reid and Riley finished up at the crime scene. Both climbed in the car, soaked to the bone with rain and mud. The weather wasn't about to die down.

Reid started the car. Both watched as the officers began to finish taking statements from neighbors and the tenants while the crime scene unit took its leave.

"Field work." He said over the hum of the car, waiting for the heat to hit them.

"I never thought it would be fun." She said, her eyes closed, her hand rubbing her forehead. "But I didn't think it would be that bad."

"You can't let yourself get emotional." Reid explained. "I know it's hard."

"Yeah, it's hard." She snapped. "That girl was someone's daughter. Someone's sister, someone's friend. People loved her, and she was just… taken from them. Can you imagine what that must feel like?"

"I don't have to imagine." Reid muttered, staring at her.

"What?" She asked, not opening her eyes.

"Nothing," he replied, not wanting to open that can of worms right now. "I know it's hard to… not consider who these people were and who they were supposed to be… but you have to detach yourself." She continued massaging her forehead. "Are you alright?"

"I have a migraine." She said. "I've been getting them since I moved here, from the rain. All the lack of sleep doesn't help."

"I don't know about you," he said. "But I could use some food. How about a late lunch, early dinner?"

Her eyes snapped open, sitting up and looking at him with the most appreciative look. "Please,"

He smiled at her in return. Her normally neatly pulled back hair looked frizzy and tousled from the rain. A small piece had fallen over her face again. Something about her persona seemed so much more disorganized than back in Quantico. Reid couldn't quite pin point why that was.

His hand seeming to have a mind of its own, Reid reached over and pushed the hair away, resting lovingly on her cheek. To his surprise, she closed her eyes sighing lightly at the feel of his touch. He remembered those sighs, hearing her mutter them in her peaceful sleep.

Her lids opened, revealing that glimmer he loved so much. "Thanks… for today." She said with a small smile.

"It's no problem," he said. "It's you."

…

Time slipped away from them, turning the next several hours into a blur. Before long, the rain had stopped, the sun had set and the sky overhead was ablaze with dozens of stars.

By nine, Reid was driving Riley back to her apartment. He would much have rather walked. It was much more personal, and Reid wanted to hang onto this moment as long as possible He couldn't look at her much while he was driving. If he had, he would have noticed how Riley's attention barely left him.

She never realized just how easy it was to watch someone when they were driving. His hair was a little longer, messy and slicked back from the rain. He'd been distracting, peaking into her thoughts during the day, keeping her awake in the lonely hours at night, and invading her dreams when she finally would fall asleep. Even with all that, though, she hadn't realized until now just how much she missed him. Riley wanted to pull herself against him, hold him, and never give him the chance to get away.

The sight of him in the conference room, just standing there so casually, like he belonged there, had been like a kick in the stomach. It took her a full six minutes before she had gathered the strength to say anything. Yesterday, hearing that the BAU was coming, she had a fleeting hope that Hotch would tell Reid to stay behind. How could she focus on the case with him here, the man whose heart she'd broken too many times? An idea had occurred to her as well; she didn't have to work the case. Honestly, the idea of facing him again made her turn it down. Now that he'd arrived, she was thrilled to have him back in her life, and there was no way she'd have gotten through today without him. How could she possibly now ever let him go?

She was forgetting something though. Reid was over her. He'd said it himself and Riley believed him. Realizing how pathetic would it have been, admitting this whole ordeal was just short of torture for her, she lied through her teeth.

It was the crime scene that stuck in her head. She had been upset, and Reid was there to comfort her. That proved he still cared about her. And maybe she'd been mistaken, but Riley was sure Spencer had smelled her hair. She loved it when he did that.

She was just being naive. Once this case was over, he would go back to Quantico and return to his life… his life without her. But he was better off without her.

"Riley?" he demanded, looking over.

Startled. He must have been talking to her for a few moments.

"Yes?"

"I asked if this was your street." He informed.

"Oh, uh," she looked around, trying to determine where they were by the glow of the street lamps. "Yes, that's my building right up there."

"Another corner apartment?" He asked, pulling up.

"No, this one is no where near as nice as my last place." She said, unbuckling. Her mind debated the next sentence. But it slipped out before she decided against it. "Would you like to come up?"

"Sure," he answered, maybe a little too quickly. "You know, just for a minute."

Three flights up (again, no elevator) they made it to Riley's door. Her hands shook slightly, jangling her keys; her mind wondering what would happen once they were on the other side of that door.

Stepping inside, Reid removed his coat and took a quick look around. The sight surprised him. Boxes were stacked along the walls. Her books were in neat piles, all in desperate need of a shelf. Her posters, some familiar and some new, rested against the walls waiting to be hung. After this long she hadn't unpacked, she hadn't settled in. That had to mean something.

"I'll make us some coffee," she said, heading into the kitchen.

"Coffee, not battery acid," he called, knowing how strong Riley preferred it. He heard her giggle in the next room.

He moved over to the books, taking a couple off the top of one pile. Her collection had taken a bad beating after the Andrews experience. He and Riley had attempted to rebuild it, but four months had not been enough time. Reid remembered The Shining waiting in his shoulder bag. He had taken it during the investigation last year, forgetting he had it for a long time. Before she left for Seattle, Reid had attempted to give it back, but Riley insisted she keep it. Her favorite Stephen King novel, to remember her by.

Soon Riley returned with two cups of coffee, setting them on the center table in the untidy living room. Reid set the books down. "Still got some unpacking?" he said, stating the obvious.

"I've been busy," she explained quickly, avoiding his eyes. She was lying.

Reid dropped the subject. Pressing it could backfire on him. He took the seat next to her on the couch. "How's your headache?"

"Better," she said. She took a sip and set her mug back down. "Thanks for dinner."

"My pleasure," he replied. He watched her as her nimble fingers unclipped her barrette. Her black hair fell loosely around her, slightly tangled from the rain. As she ran her fingers through her messy curls, her eyes closed for a moment as she rested her head on the back of the couch.

"Tired?" he asked.

"No," she said, sitting up and smiling. She emitted that familiar habit of hers, moistening her lips with her tongue. It made Reid's heart rate speed up, wanting desperately to lean in and kiss her. His hands itched to touch her, starting at her hips and sliding along her legs, those long legs he'd caressed so many times before.

"What have you been up to back in Quantico?" she asked, pulling him back to reality. Riley managed to slip closer to him as she spoke. Close enough to hold her, Reid realized. He wondered if this were an accident or an attempt to make a move. He better think the former until he knew otherwise. His arm draped behind her. No harm in that.

"Not much, mostly just working." He answered. "I haven't been seeing anyone if that's what you meant."

"No, that's not what I meant," she said quickly. "I mean… not that I would care if you were seeing someone."

"You don't care?" he asked in mock disappointment.

"I don't mean I don't care… that came out wrong. I mean I… wouldn't mind. I would understand." She scowled as he started laughing. "And you're messing with me, aren't you?"

Her scowl melted away as she giggled, matching his laughter. It lasted only a moment, her eyes lingering on his shoulder. "What is it?" he asked.

"Nothing, I just… can't get the image of that girl out of my mind. Every time I close my eyes, I see her there." The tears formed in her eyes. "That poor little girl."

"And the part that hits you the most is… that you know what she was feeling right before… Right?"

She looked up, her shimmering eyes locking with his. He understood, having been in the situation himself. Riley nodded, trying not to cry.

"I wonder… did she fight until the very end or did she give in to him…" the tears fell onto her cheeks finally. "…like I was ready to."

Wiping her tear with his thumb, he said, "Come here," and pulled her to him.

Riley wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning down and resting her head on his chest. He felt her tears drip onto his mostly dry shirt. She savored the feel of his heartbeat, realizing now how much she loved that sound.

Their emotions were in tandem, feeling like the last seven months had never happened. Reid's arms tightly wrapped Riley into him, helping her feel safe, trying to show her this is where she belonged.

"I missed you," he said. "I mean I really, really missed you. These last seven months have been agony without you." He paused, entwining his fingers in the tips of her curls. He looked down at her, watching as her eyelids slid closed for a moment. "Riley… I love you. I wish you'd come home."

He waited with bated breath for her to say something. Silence could really be the worst sound in the world, specifically at times like this. " Riley," he said. "Can you hear me?"

With a sharp gasp, Riley sat up. "I'm sorry," she said, dazed. She had fallen asleep. "Did you say something?"

Her face was so close to his, Reid could have easily kissed her. At first, he considered it. One kiss could open the door to telling her the truth. But the seconds ticked by without a move, and the moment finally dissolved. "No."

.

.

.

.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews and messages you guys! They're great! Keep them coming.

I've got about four additional chapters already written, so posting should be a lot more regular. Also, as usual, I have plans for a sequel, and for awhile now, I've been toying with the idea of doing a Morgan/Prentiss pair up. Nothing too dramatic, it would be second string; Reid and Riley would still be the main focus. I'm not sure how many people would be interested, so there's a poll on my profile. It'll be open until the end of this story. Go vote! (And if you feel incredibly strongly about it, feel free to tell me as to why or why not.)


	6. Numbers

Reid pulled away from her, removing the possibility of kissing her. His hands lingered on her curves, unwilling to detach himself. "I probably should go,"

"Oh," Riley said, turning around to find a clock. Surprisingly, she didn't seem to know where to look for one. Didn't people always know where things like that were in their home. Finally, she spotted one leaning against the wall next to a poster of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. "Wow, it's almost ten." She said, turning back to him.

Reid couldn't believe how time had slipped away. "When did that happen?"

"Sometime after 9 o'clock, I think," she said, jokingly. "Aren't you supposed to be the genius."

"You're funny," he sneered with a smile. Riley slipped from him as she stood up, and Reid reluctantly allowed her to pull away. Reid didn't want to leave, and was hoping Riley would protest and beg him to stay longer. Not wanting to linger, he rose and Riley lead him to the door.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep on you," she said, grabbing his coat for him. "Literally,"

"It's not a big deal," he replied, unwilling to admit how good it felt to so close after so long. He watched as she reached over to open the door for him. "You know Hotch and Rossi tried to convince me not to come."

"Is that so?"

"They were just being considerate, but… they thought it would be too emotional for us."

"Are they nuts? We're not teenagers." She leaned lightly against the open door, hovering over the threshold, almost like she was blocking it. "Are you… starting to regret coming?"

"I was regretting it on the plane," he said, watching as her face fell. "I didn't want them to think I was incompetent by not going, but I had a secret feeling this would be a disaster. But now that I'm here… I'm glad. I'm glad we can be friends."

She smiled brightly. "Me, too. I've really missed you. I wish you would have called me, we wouldn't have had to wait so long to find this out."

"The phone works both ways, Riley," He pointed out. "But… I think we needed that time apart… to…" he struggled with the last words of the sentence, "…get over each other."

Her smile faded ever so lightly. "You're right." She looked around, realizing she was blocking his exit. "Oh, I'm stalling. I'll see you in the morning, then?"

"Absolutely. Do you need a ride?"

"No, I usually walk," She regretted it as soon as she said it. "But, I'll meet you there. Early. We'll have coffee."

"Sounds great." He replied as he slipped on his coat. Riley stepped aside, making a clear exit for him. With a deep breath, Reid moved to step out, pausing slightly.

Once again, his brain seemed to disconnect with his body. "Goodnight," he said, almost in a whisper. Slowly, he leaned down to kiss her cheek. Riley gasped softly as his lips brushed against her soft skin; she had to stop herself from moving over for her own lips to connect with his.

"Goodnight," she whispered as he pulled away.

The door closed, separating them. Riley leaned up against it, wishing she'd asked him to stay. Unaware that Reid was standing outside, waiting just a moment longer, hoping she would let him back in.

…

But Riley didn't arrive early the next morning. Sleep eluded him once again, his thoughts buzzing around his brain like a hive of killer bees. Around six, he gave up, left a note at the front desk for the rest of the team, and headed into the station.

Stood up, Reid sat alone in the conference room with his fourth cup of coffee. The rest of the team arrived, ready for work. All hopes of time alone with Riley diminished.

"Sleep well?" Emily asked as they claimed seats around the table. Anyone could see, from his sagging posture and drooping eyelids her words were sarcastic.

He took a long swig of coffee, thoroughly burning his mouth. No regrets, though. He needed something to wake him up.

"Why'd you leave so early this morning?" Morgan asked, sitting on the table next to young agent.

The truth would only get lectures and ridicule. "Couldn't sleep. Thought I'd come in early and… look over these notes."

"How'd it go at the crime scene yesterday?" Emily pulled the closest file to her; her tone had become more serious. "Hotch said you confirmed it was Maria."

That reminded him. Reid reached into his bag, extracting the small baggy containing the silver chain and M talisman. He set it on the table for them to see. "Her mother's going to want that back, I think."

"She's supposed to identify the body today." Emily added. "I think it might be best if you and I met her there."

Reid didn't answer. His attention returned to the collection of notes, written by the unsub's own hand. Eyes scanning, words flying through his mind at impossible speeds, he looked for hidden meaning in the words. Most of it didn't make any sense, sounding more like the ramblings of a madman. It was possible their unsub was mentally unstable.

But it was the bottom corner that got his attention. Small, barely noticeable, was a circled eight. It seemed like a page number, but it was written with the same ink as the pen. "Guys," he said. "Anyone notice this before?"

He pointed out the tiny notation, passing the note around. He picked up two of the others, finding a tiny 14 and 32. Eleven pages, each with varying numbers. A quick scan of all of them revealed a range from 3 to 32. Everyone took turns reading the note over, trying to decipher the meaning of the numeral.

"How did we not notice that?" JJ asked, looking around.

"We've been too distracted trying to find the meaning to this nonsense." Morgan admitted, taking a sip of his coffee.

JJ chimed in again. "Could the text be connected to the number?"

Her question was voiced to no one in particular, but all three sets of eyes eventually looked to Reid, still reading over Maria's note. "I don't know."

The others kept talking around him, discussing, debating. They turned into white noise, wondering what this note, both words and numbers, could possibly mean. He reached into his bag and removed The Shining, slipping the note in between the pages. Future reference, just in case.

…

The numbers were still buzzing in his head when Reid and Emily left for the morgue. The number could be symbolic for something. Each number could represent the victim, but if that were true, why not go one through eleven? The highest number was 32; was that a message there was going to be a total of 32 victims?

"32 victims," Reid muttered.

"What?" Emily asked, glancing at him from the driver's seat.

"Just thinking about those numbers. Do you think it's possible the Undertaker is labeling his victims by number?"

Emily shrugged, knowing it were plausible. "Why go out of order, though?"

"That's the same thing I was thinking." He attempted to rub the sleep out of his eyes, the sleep that always attempted to creep up on him at the worst times. Blinking, he glimpsed in Emily's direction, noticing the smirk on her face.

"What?" he asked, already annoyed.

"Just wondering why you're so tired." She said. "You never made it back to the precinct yesterday, did… anything-"

"Nothing happened," he finished. "I took Riley out to dinner to make her feel better. She got a little upset at the crime scene."

Emily was suddenly sympathetic. "Oh. That can be a shock your first time. It still shocks me."

"Yeah?" Reid inquired. Emily always seemed to be a rock. She cared about the victims; it wasn't like she was unfeeling, but she rarely let her emotions get in the way. But Emily nodded just the same. "I guess we all do. But Riley isn't trained for this. She's a doctor, not an agent. It's a little disturbing for her, seeing someone dead like that, knowing they were alive just a day before… I was worried about her, so I took her to dinner. Afterward, we went back to her place," Emily raised her eyebrows, "and we had coffee! I told you, nothing happened."

"I believe you," she explained. "But… that doesn't mean nothing _almost_ happened."

"Nothing almost happened, either." Reid corrected. She still didn't look convinced. "Emily, believe me, I would have loved to have spent the night with her. But I have more respect for her than that."

"Reid, I'm just tossing this idea out there, but… have you ever considered just, I don't know, telling her the truth?"

"The truth?"

"Repeating the question. I mean it, Reid. Does Riley know you still love her?"

"Of course she knows!" Reid exclaimed. "That was one thing we assured each other before she left Quantico."

"No, that's not what I mean. Does Riley know you're still _in_ love with her? Does she know how much you miss her? How much you want her back? Because you're not doing yourself any favors by trying to deny how you feel."

Reid was becoming annoyed, especially over the fact that his friend was right. Staring straight ahead, he answered "Emily… I am over her."

A snort came from her direction. "Yeah… I'm really convinced."

…

It felt like a dream. Slowly opening her eyes, the smell of Earth surrounded her. A soft stream of sunlight was shinning down. She hadn't seen the sun in… how long had she been out?

The last thing she remembered was waiting at the bus stop. She had just left Craig's house… they'd had another fight. Too proud to have him drive her home, she had decided to take the bus. Now… things were blurry.

Her wrists were bound with rope; the fabric was so tight, cutting into her skin. Her head ached, remembering vaguely a blow to the head. How had that happened? Wasn't she trying to run away? Finding it difficult to breath, she attempted to open her mouth, finding it seal shut. Duct tape. Duct tape for sure. She pulled at her arms to try and reach to her mouth… no, they were bound behind her… it was too tight, there was no way to wiggle out.

Soft crumbles of dirt fell around her, moist from yesterday's rain. She shivered, the falling soil only making her discomfort worse. Attempting to angle her eyes, she noticed something wooden beneath her. It was hard, shaped differently so it was uncomfortable to lie down here. Panels of unfinished wood, kept together by rusty nails… with the throbbing pain in her head, she couldn't make sense of her surroundings. What was going on? Why was she here? How long had she been asleep?

She moaned through the tape, making little noise, completely muffled by the steady sound of the shovel. It abruptly dawned on her, dirt couldn't shovel itself. Someone was up there. She cried out louder, but whoever was up there couldn't hear her. Did they know she was there?

The sunlight was disappearing. The reality of her situation came to her, and tears formed in her eyes, the dirt falling around her, leaving her in darkness.


	7. Two Conversations

Riley hurried into the station. It was almost noon. With the exception of the two minutes wrapped in Spencer's arms, Riley hadn't gotten any sleep the previous night. If it were possible, she felt much more restless than usual. Maybe it was the anticipation of meeting him for coffee in the morning…

She was unsure if it constituted as getting up early when you didn't sleep; nevertheless, by 5 am, Riley was in the shower intending on heading in. That's when she received the phone call. Sex Crimes needed her for quick interview on a suspect. They'd brought him in a few hours ago, already requesting a lawyer. The defense attorney had agreed to a brief psych evaluation, but it had to be done before 9 am. After that, they were going to arraignment. Naïve and hopeful, Riley assumed she could do the interview and still make it back to the precinct in time to meet Spencer. Well she knew what happened when you assume. By the time she got out, her watch read 11:05.

Riley couldn't ignore the feeling that was a bad sign.

The precinct was calm when she arrived. Heading to the conference room, her first encounter was with the other person she dreaded seeing that day, Detective Novak.

"Oh, Riley," she said, crossing her in the hall. "Nice of you to join us."

"I'm sorry," Riley muttered, "Did I miss anything?"

"You would know if had showed up on time. Where were you anyway?"

"Uh… Sex Crimes," Riley said, trying to switch gears in her brain quickly, thinking both of the BAU case and Spencer. "I had to do a psych evaluation early this morning."

"Interesting. Why did they call you? There are resident psychiatrists on call, what makes you so special?"

"I don't recall being informed I had to explain myself to you, Leona." Riley snapped. "Could you tell me where Dr. Reid is?"

"Who?" she asked.

Riley rolled her eyes. "He's… never mind. What's the BAU working on?"

"I don't recall being told I had to keep _you_ informed, Riley." She snapped.

Riley rolled her eyes. "You've really got to work on your people skills, Leona."

With that, Riley stepped off to the conference room. Novak glared at her, still infuriated by the infringement on her territory.

…

The morgue was appropriately quiet; a kind of morbid silence. The two agents sat in the waiting area, alone. Reid clicked his phone. No messages, no voicemails.

"Expecting a call?" Emily asked, flipping through a six month old issue of People.

A deep breath, keeping his temper down. "Do you guys find a particular enjoyment from prying into my life?"

Emily looked surprise. "I thought maybe you were expecting the team to call, maybe they found more evidence or another lead."

"Oh," he said, looking down at his phone. "Sorry,"

"I take it then… you are expecting a call from her?"

"No," he muttered. "I just… thought she might…" He looked up at the sound of a huff of breath exhaling.

"Yeah, you're over her." She muttered, returning to her magazine.

"Alright fine, I'm not over her." He cried. "I admit it. What, it's wrong for me to still be in love with her?"

"No, Reid. I just can't fathom how you can love her that much and have possibly let her go."

"It was her decision." He explained.

"Did you ever tell her you objected to her going?" She insisted.

"She would have gone anyway," Reid stuffed his phone deep into his bag, not wanting to look at the disappointing item any longer.

"Reid, you don't know that! Maybe she was waiting for you to object, and when you didn't she assumed your feelings weren't as strong as hers."

"You don't know her like I do. Riley does what she wants; there is no other person alive as stubborn as Riley Parker."

"Oh, I can think of someone," she said quickly. Before he could retaliate, she continued. "Okay, so what if you did object and she had still gone? At least then you knew you did all that you could to keep her."

That had him. Reid ran his fingers through his excessively long hair in frustration. Emily wasn't finished. "The question is now are going to make the same mistake twice?"

Before Reid could answer, the door to the waiting area opened. Mrs. Engles, put together as best as a grieving mother could be, walked in. Emily and Reid stood up quickly to meet her.

"Agents," she said, as they walked up to greet her. "I… didn't know you'd be here. I thought we were finished… yesterday."

"We just want to make sure we have all the information. Sometimes people can remember things at different times," Reid said. He reached into his bag and extracted the tiny Ziploc. "Also, Forensics found this at the crime scene. We thought you'd want it back."

At the sight of Maria's diamond necklace, Mrs. Engles began to weep. It was proof that her daughter was gone, taken from her. Reid and Emily remained both isolated and sympathetic, a skill necessary in their occupation. With shaking fingers, Mrs. Engles took the baggy from Reid. Tears rolled down her face. "Thank you," she sobbed softly.

"The coroner just needs you to take one quick look and make sure it's your daughter." Emily explained.

"But you found the necklace, you know it's her." Mrs. Engles protested. "I… I can't see my baby like that."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Engles, it's procedure." Emily said. "Dr. Reid and I will be in there with you, it'll just take a moment."

"Did… did she look like…" she could hardly get the words out. "… she suffered?"

The truth was, depending on the situation, suffocation could either be a painless or painful death. Maria had not run out of air, however, so it was more than likely the latter. No one in their right mind would reveal that to a grieving mother.

"I like to believe she went peacefully, ma'am." Reid said. Lying could so often be a blessing.

Emily lead Mrs. Engles towards the morgue, Reid went in follow.

…

"Where is everyone?" Riley asked as she arrived in the conference room. The only person present was JJ.

"Rossi and Morgan are speaking to a few of Maria Engles' professors at Seattle U. Hotch and Detective Levinson are trying to track down Maria's brothers. Reid and Emily are at the morgue and I'm preparing for this afternoon's press conference."

"Wow," she said, slipping into a seat, not bothering to remove her coat. "That's a lot of stuff."

"You okay?" JJ asked. "You look kind of… tired."

"Tired. Code for 'you look like shit.'." Riley replied, closing her eyes as she leaned on her propped up arm.

"I didn't mean that." JJ corrected.

"Oh, I know. But it's how I feel, to be honest" she replied, opening her eyes, grinning wearily.

"Everything alright?" JJ asked, leaning back for a moment. "I haven't really gotten a chance to talk to you yet."

"Yeah," she exhaled. "Seattle is more of an adjustment than I thought. I haven't been sleeping well, I've been getting these awful headaches…" Riley didn't want to get into the subject. "How is everyone? How's your family?"

"Great," she said, "Henry is almost two. He's saying full sentences and has the new goal of using a fork."

"Oh, that's wonderful." Riley said, moving a few seats closer. "Do you have pictures?"

No one needed to ask JJ twice. Swiftly, she reached into jacket and pulled out a billfold, flashing several photographs of the endearing toddler.

"He's adorable," Riley fussed, flipping through the pictures. "Oh, how cute."

"Yeah, he's terrific," JJ glanced at Riley for a moment. "So… Seattle's been kind of a struggle then?"

Riley nodded, still admiring the little boy.

"You know… if you wanted to transfer back… there are plenty of people at the BAU who could help make that happen. I'm one of them." 

Riley wasn't stupid. Swallowing her nerves, she replaced the pictures and handed them back to her friend. "I don't think so, JJ."

"It's not a problem. Garcia could handle the transfer, you could be wanted back in Quantico before we are."

"Yes, and I appreciate that. I do, but… there's nothing for me in Quantico. Not anymore."

JJ was not in the least convinced. She decided to cut to the chase. "Not even Reid?"

"Reid…" Riley said slowly, almost like she were trying to remember who he was. "Um… no, I couldn't go back for him." She pulled a file to her, pretending to study it. "No, we're… over."

"It's just that you guys don't seem very 'over'." JJ pointed out.

"You never had a boyfriend that you kept lingering feelings for?" Riley asked, looking up.

"Well… yes," JJ admitted. Who didn't? "I've run into exes, but I've never looked at an ex the way you and Reid look at each other."

"That doesn't mean anything. We have both moved on, and we can't go back, even if we wanted to."

Curious. "Do you want to?"

"No!" She cried, a little too quickly it seemed. She took a deep breath, "No. This is a great job, it could mean a lot to my career. It could lead to a lot of great things, like getting published. Spencer knew that and… not only that, now he can concentrate on his career without worrying about me. Seven months with no contact; I think that shows we made the right decision." She paused again before quietly adding, "I'm not going let him ruin his life."

JJ could swear she saw a glisten in her eyes. It disappeared though as Riley turned to her with worry. "Can we keep this between us, please?"

Nodding, JJ replied, "I won't talk about it. But if Reid happens to ask, I'm not going to lie."

"Far enough," Riley agreed, looking back to the file. They sat in silence for a few moments. Riley's eyes were stationary, her thoughts elsewhere.

"JJ… does he ever… talk about me?"

These next words could affect the future of her two friends severely. JJ took a moment to respond, trying to choose her words without pushing Riley away or exposing Reid too much.

She never got the chance. Hotch rushed in quickly. "We have another victim."

A/N: If anyone was confused by the e-mails with the other chapters, I'm sorry. Windows was being an ass! This is the real chapter, so you don't get confused.


	8. In the Morgue

The room was cold. The heavy stench of formaldehyde hit their noses as Emily and Reid walked in with Mrs. Engles. The coroner sat at a nearby desk, signing his name to a few papers.

"Engles?" he asked casually, taking a momentary look from his papers.

"Yes," Emily answered. Mrs. Engles gave a silent, catatonic nod.

"Just a moment," He flipped another page, signing a few more times. Reid looked around, knowing each of the found victims had made it to this room. Mrs. Engles stood in the exact same spot the other families had done, here to see their once vibrant and special loved one lay stiff on a cold steel table.

The coroner stood up. His attitude was much more personal and comforting than his assistant's. "Oh, Agent Prentiss, good to see you again. I'm sorry it's under these circumstances."

Emily shook his offered hand. "Dr. Pittman, this is Dr. Reid, another member of the BAU." Reid shook his hand as well. "And this is Linda Engles, she's here to identify her daughter."

"Of course, Mrs. Engles. I'm terribly sorry for your loss." He lead her over to the drawers. Reid began to wonder what other forms were lying inside there, and under what circumstances had put them there. Probably nothing as dramatic or catastrophic as Maria.

Dr. Pittman opened on door, checked the tag and rolled it out. A sheet draped over a small form. Emily put her arm around Mrs. Engles and lead her over. He waited from the nod from Emily before carefully pulling back the blanket.

Her face was clean now, looking pale and blue. Reid saw the familiar face he had seen in the photo; the young girl on the brink of a wonderful life, unknown that life would be cut short in a few years.

Mrs. Engles held back a sob as she nodded. "It's her." She mumbled, her sobs no longer silent. Mover closer to the body, she lightly brushed her bangs back. "I'm sorry, Maria…" She leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I shouldn't have yelled at you… I'm sorry…"

Unsure what that meant, Emily shared a look with Reid. It was one of the pros of working with the same people for so long. You could understand so much without a single syllable. Reid gave a slight nod and Emily began to lead the crying woman back to the waiting room.

Reid stepped closer to the body. "She was pretty little thing," Dr. Pittman said. "She didn't deserve this."

"They never do," Reid replied. "Cause of death was suffocation?"

"Yes, but not from lack of air." Dr. Pittman corrected. "Soil was found in her nose, lodged in her esophagus. She choked to death."

"Is that how the other victims died?"

"No, actually," he said. "Maria's death is completely original. The others were bound and taped, they all had head wounds of varying degrees of severity, but Maria was the first one found directly into the earth."

"The others… were protected from the elements then?"

"Makeshift coffins," The coroner said, nodding. "All the other victims went much more peacefully."

"In theory, maybe," Reid replied. Shoved into a narrow box with no way out seemed just as sadistic as Maria's death. "You're sure the killer made the coffins himself?"

"Maybe not himself, but they certainly weren't commercial made. I doubt they bury prisoners in boxes this bad."

Reid was curious. "How do you know?"

The coroner covered Maria's face and shifted to another draw. He opened up one, checked the tag, and determined he had the wrong one. Moving to the next one, his search was complete. Just like Maria, the body rolled out. He moved to yet another drawer, checked, and rolled out a second body. Reid stepped over to see.

"This is Jessica Donnelson. And this is David Wilhelm." Pittman explained. "They were the two victims found prior to Maria." He removed the sheets, revealing a red haired girl around 19 or 20, and a boy, with long chestnut brown hair like Reid's, approximately the same age as Jessica. Pittman indicated some cuts and marks over their bodies. "Maria didn't have time to struggle; she choked quickly on the dirt. Probably even before the killer finished burying her. Jessica and David ran out of oxygen, but they both definitely struggled to get out, like the victims before them. Even with bound wrists, they dug at the lid until they drew blood. Also, look at their limbs."

Reid leaned closer to David's leg. "Splinters."

"Hundreds of them."

…

"Thank you, Agent," Mrs. Engles said as Emily walked her towards the exit.

"Mrs. Engles, what did you mean in there, you shouldn't have yelled at her?" Emily asked.

Mrs. Engles looked confused. "Is that relevant?"

"It might be. Sometimes even the simplest bit of information can break a case."

She didn't seem willing to share, but took a deep breath and answered just the same. "Maria and I had had a fight Friday morning. I never got a chance to apologize."

"What did you fight about?"

Her attitude was becoming edgy and irritated. "I don't see why that's any of your business, Agent Prentiss."

"I understand, but something like that could have caused Maria to stray from her usual routine. Even the littlest effect can cause someone to adjust their daily habits." Her thoughts flew to Reid and Riley for a nanosecond.

But she came back immediately. "You bitch!" Mrs. Engles yelled. "Are you blaming me for my daughter's death?"

"Of course not, Mrs. Engles, I'm just trying to find your daughter's killer."

"I don't care about my daughter's killer!" She shouted. "My angel is gone forever! Do you really think finding him is going to make it better!"

Without another word, Mrs. Engles shoved her way past Emily towards the exit. The door shut automatically behind her. Shocked, Emily turned, finding Reid on his return.

"That was weird," Reid said, having caught the end of the conversation.

"Wasn't it?" Emily agreed. "What mother wouldn't want to find their child's murderer?"

…

"16-year-old Addie Zachariah." Hotch announced to the group. Rossi and Morgan had returned, sitting at the table with the detectives, Riley, and JJ. "She was on her way home from band practice last night, never made it. This morning her parents received a note with their daily paper. That's when they called the police."

"Why didn't they call last night?" Levinson asked.

"Apparently, Addie had a habit of coming home after her parents went to bed." Hotch explained. "They thought she was sleeping when they found the note."

The paper passed around; the familiar writing sketched over most of it. "Any chance she's still alive?" Rossi asked, his turn to read the letter.

"I doubt it," Morgan voiced. "There's no proof he even writes the notes before he buries them."

At that moment, the door opened into the conference room. Everyone turned to see, Emily and Reid entered, back from the morgue.

"What's going on?" Reid asked.

"A new victim," Rossi explained, holding out the note for the two to see. Emily took it from him and read it over.

"Usual nonsense." She said, stating what the rest already knew. Sure enough, a number sat circled at the bottom. Still, no clues stood out to the reason for it.

"And 12."

Reid examined the note over. He needn't see the other notes to know no two lines were repeated.

"It almost sounds prophetic." Reid said. "Like a weird version of the Bible." His eyes moved around the group, lingering on Riley for a moment.

He didn't want to admit he felt dizzy at the sight of her, that he felt his stomach roll into a somersault, but he did. He couldn't ignore the apologetic look on her face, hidden behind her black framed glasses. Still, Reid wouldn't give her an indication how he was feeling, and looked away.

"Only, there's no mention of God," JJ added. "Just mentions of nature and the universe.

"Maybe it's some new found religion or paganism." Emily said.

"I don't want us assuming the unsub is using religion." Hotch announced quickly. "Alright, Rossi and I will go and interview the family. JJ has the press conference this afternoon; Levinson will be going with her to answer questions. Novak will join Emily and Morgan to Addie's school, talk to her friends and teachers. Reid, I want you and Riley to stick to Maria. We have the names of some of Maria's friends from college; we need to talk to them. I want everyone ready to give the profile tomorrow morning."

Riley didn't protest this time. She took a quick glimpse at Reid before he slipped out the door. The others all stood, heading out on their assignments. Riley got to her feet slowly, trying to wait until she and Hotch were alone.

"You're doing this on purpose." She finally said.

"Doing what?" He asked, not looking at her.

"Don't give me that, Aaron, I know you. You're putting Spencer and me together intentionally."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Hotch replied, about to leave.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Riley called, forcing him to stop. "I would think you would be trying to keep us apart, or do you guys get some sick pleasure seeing us like this?"

"Believe it or not, I'm thinking about your welfare. You don't see it, Riley." He had a softened expression; a look of sympathy and compassion that so rarely crossed Aaron Hotchner's face. "You belong with him."

Riley didn't know what to say. It was one thing for JJ to voice her opinion. Riley expected this from the others. But Hotch? He never objected to the relationship nor about her leaving; this came as a shock to her.

Hotch took advantage of her silence and left. Riley waited a moment, sliding her glasses off her face. Her head was starting to hurt again. She couldn't explain why. With the blinds half open, she could make out Reid in the station's bull pen, waiting for her. She grabbed her coat, slipping her glasses in the pocket with her cell phone, and headed out to meet him.

"Hey," he said, "I got the names off of Rossi. Are you ready to go?"

"I'm sorry… about this morning," Riley said immediately. "I just couldn't make it."

"It's fine, are you ready go?" He replied, speaking quickly.

She had expected to him to ask where she was. His lack of curiosity disappointed her. Maybe he wasn't as pleased to be with her as she thought. She nodded silently.

He lingered on her a moment. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm great." She replied. "Just… I'm just being stupid. Something you wouldn't know anything about."

She felt an electric charge go through her as Reid reached over, brushing some hair off her face. "Trust me," he said, staring at her perfect pink lips and misshapen teeth. "I've had my moments."


	9. A Good Profiler

"You guys pulled me in here on a Sunday!" Garcia cried into her head piece. Back in Quantico, she sat isolated in her cave, surrounded by her screens and worlds of color.

"We're not exactly having a good time over here, Garcia." Reid replied. They sat in the front seat of the SUV outside the station. Reid held the phone up so both he and Riley could hear, talking on speaker.

"A Sunday! I had to come in on a Sunday, bringing a very wonderful romantic weekend with Kevin to an abrupt end. Just because you're a little love sick puppy, Dr. Reid, doesn't mean you have to ruin the experience for the rest of us."

"Love sick puppy?" Riley asked, glancing over at Reid. He avoided her eye contact, his face warming up. It was turning red.

"Who was that?" Garcia asked. Of all the times for Morgan not to keep his girl in the loop. Reid was going to get him for that later.

"Garcia… you remember Riley, don't you?"

"Nice try, Reid! Like Hotch and Rossi would actually bring you in on a case with-"

"Hi, Garcia!" Riley called, leaning closer to the phone. "I can have Spencer take a picture of me if you're still not convinced."

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. "Riley, it's so good to hear from you!" She finally exclaimed. "How's Seattle?"

"Miserable… the weather, I mean. It's miserable." Now it was her turn to avoid Reid's gaze. He watched her blink a few times, moistening her lips slightly. The quirky nervous habit that drove him wild. "Uh… what have you got for us?"

"Well, I ran the names you guys gave me. It wasn't easy. Most of these kids have left the Seattle area. I checked school records, they dropped out either during the previous semester or before the fall term started."

"Not surprising," Riley said. "Do you realize how many kids drop out of college after just one year?"

"Over 30%. As well, almost 50% of the remaining students never graduate." Reid answered quickly.

"Thank you, Brianiac, I was being rhetorical." She replied, smirking. Reid and Riley locked eyes, sharing a familiar correlation. Unaware to each other, they both were thinking the same thing: that this was the first it felt normal between them. They barely noticed when Garcia began talking again.

"Well, fear not, my doves. Because I was able to locate two people, still in the land of academia. Hayley Tyler and Samantha McCall.

"According to their records, it seems they and Maria were close. In the same class since Kindergarten, all cheerleaders, Hayley and Maria were even roommates their first year."

"Not anymore?" Riley asked, finally looking away from Reid. He kept his eyes on her, watching as a few curls swept gracefully over her shoulder.

"Not, it doesn't seem like it. Maria and Hayley are clean. Samantha appears to have a few arrests for underage drinking and drug possession. Pretty baby, you just gotta to say 'no'." Riley shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"It's harder than you think, Garcia," Reid replied. Riley looked over at him, appreciative. "Any idea where these girls are?"

"I found Hayley's Facebook page. Everyone's on the social network scene nowadays. Facebook doesn't hold a candle to Tumblr, though. Got to be honest. Anyway, her status said Samantha and Hayley are working a double shift at Leadworth. Did a little search, it's a restaurant close to campus."

"Thanks, Garcia," Reid said. He had a sudden idea. "Maria had three brothers. Can you see if they're still close to Seattle?"

"Your wish is my command. I'll keep you posted, my lovelies!" she announced. A click sounded their disconnection. Reid grabbed his cell and flipped it closed.

"Off to Leadworth, then?" Riley asked as Reid started the car.

She debated asking him. It had to be embarrassing, but her interest could not be extinguished. Nosiness trumped humiliation every time. "I gotta ask… what did Garcia mean?"

At first appearance, Riley thought he hadn't heard her. Examining closer, her eyes traveled to his hands. His long fingers wrapped around the steering wheel tightly, making his knuckles pure white.

"Spencer?" she pressed.

"Nothing," This was not the time or place to go into this. He hadn't finished the internal debate on whether he ever wanted to bring it up. Still, Emily's words rang in his heads. He had made the mistake of letting her go. This case couldn't last forever; soon they would give the profile. Within time, unsub or no unsub, the team would leave. He would never see her again.

Thinking about leaving her again hurt too much. He pushed it out of his mind. People could so easily avoid thinking about unpleasant things, until finally the inevitable caught up with you. Like last time. The last week with Riley had been amazing. He had taken time off, his excuse was to help her pack, but she had shipped most of her things the week before. It felt more like a romantic getaway than the unraveling of a relationship. Once in awhile, a lump would drop in his stomach, counting down the days… down to the hours… of how long they had left. But he'd push it away and just absorb the angel in his arms. He had so many chances to tell her, but instead of bringing up what could prove to be an uncomfortable discussion, he just pretended it wasn't going to happen. Now it might be too late.

He also couldn't forget standing in the squad room, moments ago. He had watched her eyes, those rich brown eyes that still dazzled him and made him weak at the knees. He watched her lips move over her vaguely misshapen teeth, using every fiber of strength in him not to pull her to him and kiss her. Had they not been in the center of a crowded room, he wasn't sure he'd have been able to stop.

Riley watched him, staring start ahead, never looking in her direction. She regretted asking about it. It was one of those moments you're unable to stop from speaking and immediately regret once it came out. What good could she perhaps have expected to come of it? He had said he moved on, just like they were supposed to, remembering their four months only as a great love affair everyone hoped to hold in their lives. The kind you'd tell your children about… hypothetical children, of course.

But what if what Garcia had said were true? Riley didn't know what was so special about her that could make anyone love sick; despite the fact her colleague had become so obsessed, it nearly cost both her and Spencer their lives. Even after all she put him through – the cruelty, the lies, the danger – only to end up leaving him… he couldn't possibly still love her… but maybe he did.

_Spencer_ _is better off without you._ A voice said in Riley's mind. _You know that. It's better he realize that now than allow him to waste his life with you._

The rest of the trip was ridden in silence.

…

Overcast settled in and the temperature dropped several degrees. Reid noticed Riley shiver as she got out of the car. He hated himself for wanting to pull her to him and keep her warm. Reid thought longingly for a moment, burying his nose in her hair and inhaling her scent. That might have been the thing he missed most of all; late at night, lying close to her in bed and breathing in the smell of her perfume and shampoo. Roses. She loved the smell of roses. He could lay there for hours, just watching her sleep.

Before she could notice his distraction, Reid moved quickly to the front door. Riley felt a little hurt as he rushed in, not bothering to hold the door open for her like he usually did. After a deep breath to keep her emotions concealed, she joined him inside.

Inside was fairly busy. A scene for young people, mostly. Reid and Riley had both felt a bit out of place there. Then again, neither one could relate to others at that age when they were that young. Getting doctorates and in the FBI seemed a much better use of time to either one.

"Hi, welcome to Leadworth," a young red haired hostess said, approaching the podium. "Table for 2?"

"No, we were wondering if we could speak to Hayley Tyler and Samantha McCall." Reid said, flashing his ID. Riley didn't bother whipping hers out, seeing as her ID lacked the matching badge.

The hostess's eyes seemed to want to pop out of her head. "Oh," she said. "Uh… I'll get them, hang on."

She rushed off quickly, leaving them alone once again. Each was making deliberate attempts to ignore the other one, internally blaming themselves for the awkward tension between them now.

As Reid looked around, he took in their surroundings. Despite the loud college students, he was reminded of the day a year ago when his entire life changed. Standing outside the diner when he first spotted Snow White, with her hair braided, sparkling eyes behind her glasses, getting more and more annoyed the longer she waited for him. Reid had never told her the truth about that day.

Her focus faced out the window. The perfect opportunity to observe her again. Riley continued to rub her hands together, cold. "I should have brought your gloves." Reid said out of nowhere.

Confused, Riley turned to him. "Excuse me?"

"You left a pair of gloves in my apartment." Reid explained. "Along with your toothbrush and your extra pair of glasses with the crack in the lens."

"And you still have them?" Riley asked, sounding surprised.

It seemed this was beginning to backfire. Reid shrugged, "Yeah," His chest was beginning to feel tight, his heart beat quickening almost painfully. She stared at him, amazed. "What, it's not like I built a shrine to you."

"No, I think it's sweet." She replied, gently massaging his forearm. Her hand slid down from the limb and into his, entwining their fingers together. Her eyes glistened slightly, giving them an even brighter spark. "It means you still care about me."

The sound of the restaurant was beginning to fade around them. Their bodies managed to move closer to each other, barely allowing space between them. She was close enough to kiss now, and Reid leaned instinctively into her. She didn't back away.

"Excuse me?" a voice said, pulling them out of their world. "Are you the FBI?"

Two girls, both dressed in black pants, a white button down blouse and a black apron, stood before them. One had long blonde hair, pulled into a loose pony tail. The other had short black hair, almost like a boys. They stared at Reid and Riley nervously. It wasn't every day the FBI showed up for someone.

"Hayley and Samantha?" Reid asked, his hand still clasped with Riley's.

"I'm Sam," the blonde said. "This is Hayley. This is about Maria, isn't it?"

…

Despite the threat of rain, Riley and Reid brought the two waitresses outside, away from the prying eyes and noise. "Where were you guys on Friday night." Reid asked.

"I was working!" Sam said, more directed at Hayley at first than the agents. "Hayley and Maria went to a movie."

"So you were still good friends with Maria?" Riley inquired. "Considering you stopped being roommates last year."

"Maria and I were like sisters." Hayley corrected. "We were close; we understood each other… but, like sisters, when you're forced to share a room…"

"You realized your relationship was better when you weren't around each other all the time."

"Exactly," Hayley said.

"When did you and Maria separate?" Reid wondered.

"Well, see, Maria was upset about a fight with her mother. I took her to that new Ewan McGregor movie to cheer her up. Half way through, her phone went off. She went to answer it, came back a moment later for her purse, looking really annoyed, and said she had to go…" She suddenly looked guilty. "I should have gone with her, I'm sorry."

"This isn't your fault." Reid explained. "Did she say where she was going?"

"No… but it couldn't have been far. I mean… if it were, she would have asked for a ride. Maria doesn't take the bus unless she's desperate."

"And that was the last you heard from her? Either of you?" Riley made certain.

"Yeah," Samantha assured.

"Did she mention what she fought with her mother about?" Reid remembered earlier at the morgue.

Samantha rolled her eyes. "Maria fighting with her mother was more routine than a rainy day in this town. At this point, when she bitched, I just tune her out."

"You guys seem really close," Riley remarked. "So she and her mother didn't get along."

"Maria's mother was constantly on her case about something." Hayley explained. "If she wasn't yelling at Maria to change her major back, she was taking things out on the poor girl. She made her life a living hell."

"Linda Engles seemed pretty upset about her daughter's death." Reid explained.

Samantha gave a sarcastic chuckle. "I swear, that woman was insane. Do you have any idea what that girl went through?"

"Yeah," Reid said, nodding, "I do."

Riley took a tentative glance at Reid, yearning to pull her to him. She knew, better than anyone probably, the internal struggle he constantly put himself through over his mother. The never ending shame for putting her in a home added with the guilt of finding as little time to see her as possible. Despite the immorality, it was helpful being his therapist before girlfriend.

"Would Maria possibly go off with a stranger? Accept a ride perhaps?"

Samantha shook her head. "Absolutely not. She was careful. If Maria wasn't driving her car, she had taken self defense classes, she stayed in well lit areas, she always carried pepper spray and made sure we did, too. She would never talk or take a ride from someone she didn't know."

Reid nodded, having one last question. "Just one more thing… did Maria have any connection to the number eight."

"Eight? Not that I can think of," Hayley said. She looked at Samantha, who was just as perplexed as she.

"Okay," Reid handed her a business card. "Give us a call if you think of anything else that might help. You have no idea what information could help the case."

Hayley took the card, each saying a goodbye and headed back inside. Reid and Riley stood, noticing the sky was getting slightly darker as the hour grew later.

"Well," Riley said, "What have learned from this?"

Reid opened his mouth to answer, then stopped. "You tell me."

"What?"

"You're supposed to be helping with the profile. Explain to me how what the girls told us is going to help."

She looked unsure. "…Spencer… no, I don't know-"

"Don't over think it. Just… listen to your gut. What are sure of?"

Taking a deep breath, she thought it over. "Well… odds are… she knew where she was going so well, she didn't noticed being followed."

"Why is that?" Reid asked, trying to get her into the mindset of a profiler.

"Because she was careful. Someone doesn't take self defense and carry protection unless they're scared. Scared can be good, it keeps you fast and alert… okay… both her close friends have alibis, so she wasn't going to meet them. Maybe… it was her mother. She was annoyed, agreed to come home… and didn't want to bring her friends into a family situation. You'll do almost anything to avoid being embarrassed by your family, even put yourself in danger."

Reid nodded. "That's good."

Amazed, "Really?"

"Give yourself some credit, you're a smart girl. I told you that you would make a good profiler."

She cocked her head at him, skeptical. "When did you ever say that?"

"Last year, when we walked home… we stood outside my apartment and it started snowing."

It suddenly dawned on her. "Oh, yeah. I forgot about that."

"Oh, well, that explains it." Reid said, despondent.

"I didn't mean I forgot about that night…" She exclaimed, her hands going to his upper arms, lightly gripping at the fabric of his coat. "I think about that night all the time."

Reid leaned in closer to her, brushing her bangs with his forehead. "Me, too."

Following his own advice, Reid did what his gut told him. This time, with no obvious eyes around, he moved further into her personal space. Just before contact, he watched as Riley's eyes slipped closed, and connected his lips with hers. She responded, kissing him back, letting her arms slip around his neck, able to bring her body closer. His own arms went around her waist, removing the remaining centimeters between them, just as the rain began its drizzle.

A/N: Anyone pick up the Doctor Who reference?


	10. Go to Hell

The kiss ended; their lips barely separated before they started up again. Reid's hands unfastened the few buttons of Riley's coat and slipped inside, running over her blue sweater along her lithe figure. Riley emitted a soft, blissful sigh. She moved her arms, placing her hands on his face. One lingered on his cheek, lightly brushing his skin with her thumb. The other slipped up, weaving her fingers in the long chestnut brown hair she had desired for many months.

Their kiss broke a second time. Pulling apart to catch their breath, their eyes opened and locked with each other. Reid watched her cautiously, waiting for her reaction. She smiled. Her eyes closed, reaching up to him again. "It's nice to know some things never change."

The tip of her town slithered gently over his lips. Without thinking, he forced her into another kiss, knocking her off her feet slightly. She stumbled back a step, caught by his protective arms. The intensity of their kiss increased as his tongue asked for passage into her mouth. She uttered another moan, deep and eager.

"You know that noise makes me crazy," he said quickly, claiming her mouth again.

She giggled a moment before responding quickly, "Let's go back to my apartment."

He didn't need any convincing. He nodded quickly, commencing another arousing kiss. It was finally happening. Riley was his again, and he was never going to let her go.

He moved his lips away from hers, moving them down to the spot just below her ear, sucking on it a moment, emitting a delighted whimper from her. Reid let her flesh go, lovingly nuzzling her, "I love you," he muttered before moving his lips down to kiss along her neck. "I missed you so much."

Suddenly, the warmth of Riley's arms left him and Reid felt himself being pushed away. Reid was confused, looking into her brown eyes, glossy from arousal. A warm pink twinge glowing in her cheeks. "What's wrong?"

"Spencer…" She shook her head, pulling away from his gaze. "I'm sorry, we can't do this."

"Why?" he argued, refusing to release his hold of her.

"You're not over me," she stated.

The words seemed to hang in the chilly air, like vocal icicles. "So, you're only interested in having sex if it doesn't mean anything?"

"That's not what I meant," she said. Her one hand returned to his cheek, the other brushing away the hair she had tousled. "We could go back to my place and make love and it would be wonderful, but… you have to know, it doesn't mean we're getting back together."

Her eyes glistened as she said it. Reid felt like his heart was tearing, like a cheap paper towel. "Riley, you don't kiss someone like that if you don't love them. You're a doctor, not an actress."

"Thanks, McCoy," she said, smiling, never able to deny a Star Trek reference. The first few tears dripped through her lashes. "This has nothing to do with love, I just-"

"You just don't want to be with me." He said, feeling his own tears forming. A white hot rage was blistering in his stomach, spewing up into his throat like malevolent heartburn. "Or, I guess I'm only worth being with if there's some immoral complication attached."

Her breathing was shaky. Her mouth dropped a bit, but she closed it quickly. "I can't believe you just said that. I was your girlfriend for four months; you're making me out to be some kind of… slut.

"Well if the shoe fits…" His words had caused a virus of anger to spread over her voice, and for a moment Reid thought she might slap him. He faltered a second, thinking he had perhaps said enough. But his anger had taken over and he desperately wanted to hurt her. "You could just confess the fact that you're miserable here, at the very least." He pointed out.

Shocked. "What in God's name makes you think that?"

"You've been living in your apartment for seven months, yet you've unpacked the bare minimum. I haven't seen you pull out a book once since I've come here. You always had a book with you in Quantico. There are bags under your eyes, which means you aren't getting enough rest and since I know your job is mostly 9 to 5, you haven't had a full night sleep in weeks, probably months. I'm going to just assume you're not sleeping with anymore patients."

"Shut up!" she cried, looking around. A few people were gathered on the adjacent street, a man was sitting in his car down the block, apparently waiting for someone, but no one seemed to notice the ex-lovers quarrel. She released a rather reassured sigh. "Fine, Profiler. I'm not happy here. But that doesn't matter. I'm fine with my choices. And I would rather stay here and know I'm doing something important. Didn't you ever want to be apart of something special? Even if it's just once?"

Reid could feel the angry rising. "I was apart of something special. I guess the problem was I loved you more than you could ever love anyone other than yourself!"

"Go to Hell!" Riley screamed. She turned and started rushing down the street.

"After you," Reid announced. He took his keys and got back into the car. As much as he wanted to go after her, he left her behind. Riley watched him as he sped away, hating herself. She had done it again.

…

The next morning, Reid arrived before the rest of the team again. He hadn't slept. Again. His insides, last night so twisted with burning frustration, had morphed into a permanent slab of guilt and self-loathing. Any possible rest was completely off the table. Coffee was the only thing keeping him remotely functional. Reid felt like an idiot. How could he have said those things to her? He should be begging her to come back, to just come clean to the truth that he wasn't over her and he had made the biggest mistake by letting her go. Now it was ruined forever. Maybe love was only meant for specific people. If everyone ended up in a fairy tale romance, it wouldn't make it special. Most people had to settle or wind up miserable. As logical as that was, Reid didn't want to admit it were true. For someone with such high operating brain power, Spencer Reid was a hopeless romantic. Probably from all those stories his mother used to read him.

Once the others arrived, they talked things over about the case. When the rest of the squad was gathered, they could give the profile. Hopefully, within a day or so, they would have a suspect in custody. Reid went over the evidence, remembering what Maria's friends had said yesterday. He gathered over what the others had found out from the other victims, including the latest one, Addie. He couldn't ignore that gnawing sensation they were missing something. It was the equivalent of when one was searching for an item – a book, a hair brush, house keys – and it is seen visibly in the mind. You know how it looks, you can see the physical items surrounding it… you just don't know where it is. At least, Reid imagined that's what it was like. People with eidetic memories didn't often misplace their house keys.

The team was prepared to give the profile. The other officers were ushering together, waiting for the presentation. They were all but ready however, as they sat waiting for Riley to show up.

It was close to ten; the police beginning to get impatient. Reid was beginning to hope she was called into another emergency. Maybe she would be too busy to assist them any longer. The case could be solved and Reid could be back to Quantico without ever having to see her again.

But Reid wanted to see her. He couldn't decide whether he loved her or hated her. He couldn't hate her; he had tried that before and failed spectacularly. Riley would walk in any minute now, in her usual knee length skirt, with varying blouse or sweater, in dark nylons and Mary Jane's. Her black curls would be held back, usually in a barrette, but maybe a braid. Reid wondered if she would be wearing her glasses… he liked her glasses.

At 10:30, it was over. Hotch announced they could wait no longer. They gathered what was needed for the presentation and headed out to the bull pen.

"Reid, wait up a second," Morgan said, waiting for the others to leave. "What happened last night?"

"I told you, we met up with Maria's friends at Leadworth and-"

"I meant between you and Riley. Something happened, we can tell. And from the look of you, it wasn't good."

That was one thing about being friends with profilers; you couldn't hide anything from them. But that didn't mean Reid had to admit it. He shrugged, keeping silent.

"Okay, is this the game you want to play?" Morgan asked. "Because I could reveal to Hotch and Rossi I feel you're jeopardizing this case. And I think a quick confab with JJ and Emily would get them on my side. And suddenly, after a little word with Garcia, there's a notation in your file and the next thing you know, you're stuck in Quantico wasting your skills on a desk job-

"It's none of your business, Morgan!" Reid hissed. "What is this obsessive need you people have to invade in my personal life? Why don't you follow Riley's example and just treat me like I'm nothing. It would make life a lot easier."

He rushed out the door, joining the others. Among the cops and detectives was Leona Novak, making no effort to hide how pointless she thought this was, and Logan Levinson. Hotch was just about ready to begin.

"Agent Hotchner," the station's captain called from the door of her office. "There's a phone call for you."

Confused, he glanced at the time, silently informing them to take over. He went off, following the captain inside and closing the door. Rossi stood up, beginning the show.

"We are looking for a white male," he said. "In his late teens, early twenties. He will appear small, none threatening. He is deceptively strong and probably has the appearance of a homeless man. Someone who could hide on the street and easily go unnoticed."

"Though he has abducted both men and women, he has a specific type of victim." Emily chimed in. "He wants a person walking alone. Someone who appears to know where they are and where they're going. When someone is in a familiar area, they pay less attention to their surroundings. Odds are, he stalks his victims at least a day ahead of time."

"Then why give a blitz attack?" Novak rudely piped in.

"One simple reason: the unsub lacks confidence," Morgan explained. "He doesn't have the courage to sneak up and use a more subtle technique. Once the victim is bound and silenced, his confidence grows. He has someone he can now control and he is sure won't fight or struggle against him."

"The varying between men and women states he has no real desire to torture his victims." Reid pointed out. "This isn't something sexual, which consists with the lack of rape. The notes he leaves have a prophetic sense to them; he is doing this for a purpose. Since the victims are random, the burial is more for the unsub's benefit. Possibly, it is something of a cult or fanatical fashion. Religion is also a possibility, but not necessarily his reasoning."

"Maria was placed directly into her grave." Emily explained. "The victims up to Maria Engles were buried in makeshift coffins. This could mean our unsub is evolving. He wanted his other victims to slowly die with more mental torture and now he wants it quick and painful. It also explains why the killings have become more frequent. But, without the body of Addie Zachariah, we can't be sure."

"The notes are the biggest mystery." Rossi said. "The prose is a clue to his mental instability. The numbers are not labeling the victims numerically, but we are sure they are not insignificant."

"You can't figure it out?" Novak called aloud, drawing further attention to herself. "Wow, I thought you were brought in here because we were incompetent. What good is all of this if you're just as useless?"

"The numbers do mean something." Morgan spoke up. "We may not figure it until after we catch him. We've spoken to the families; none of the victims seem closely connected to their numbers. Which means it's either a clue to their location or purely from the unsub's delusion." The group noticed as Hotch, his face concerned and gray, returned to the squad room. "Hopefully, we'll get this guy within a day or so and be able to find where the missing victims are buried."

With that, the police all went off on their duties. Some hitting the streets, others going over reports of possible suspects. The team, however, was focused on Hotch, wondering what could have made him so upset.

He took a deep breath, almost in disbelief from his news. He spoke quietly, not wanting to draw the attention of the other officers. "I just got a call from Seattle Mercy Hospital."

"About what?" Emily asked.

"Reid… were you the last person to see Riley last night?"


	11. At Seattle Mercy Hospital

As the severity of the situation hit him, Reid felt like he was going to vomit. The room gave the illusion he was spinning and drowning at the same time. "She's… missing?"

"No," Hotch said. "Riley was brought in last night after having been attacked."

"Oh my God," Emily exclaimed. "Is… is she-"

"She's okay," Hotch assured. The sound of exhaling relief was heard through the group, including from Reid. "She's conscious, she doesn't have any severe injuries but… he did beat up pretty well."

"What happened to her?" JJ asked. Reid felt her hand discreetly pat his back. Her intuition knew he was upset and he appreciated the support.

"They didn't get the whole story. All they do know is she was alone on the street last night around 9, someone attacked her just three blocks from her apartment. She was found sitting on the street some time after, nursing a head wound."

Reid felt awful. This was his fault. He'd been so angry, he didn't even consider the danger lurking out on the streets. Riley could have been killed.

"Could it have been the Undertaker?" Emily suspected.

Rossi spoke up, "I'm sure it was. It seems a little soon for another victim, even now, but she seems like his type. Any idea why she was out alone last night, Reid. You were the last one with her, correct?"

Reid didn't know what to say. He didn't want to divulge what happened between them, he was a liability to the case as it was. The heavy weight of his insides began distorting into excruciating knots again. Sometimes stubborn was a good thing; if Riley hadn't been as willful as she was…

The group was staring at him, awaiting his answer. Unable to unstick his throat, Reid shook his head.

"Alright, Morgan, Emily, get down to Seattle Mercy. Get the evidence the doctor's collected." His eyes met Reid's gaze, debating the outcome of his next decision. "Reid… you're the closest one to Riley. Go with them and interview her."

"I don't think… she would want to talk to me, Hotch." Why would she? Not only were the last words he said to her out of anger, but she was nearly killed because he was so selfish.

"That wasn't a suggestion, Reid." Hotch clarified. "For someone who cares so much about her, I would think you'd be most concerned about this."

"I am concerned," Reid said. His guilt lessened, replaced with fury.

"When you guys are done at the hospital, bring her here. She's the first of his victims to survive, he might not be willing to let that go. The rest of us will work with the detectives and follow up on leads."

Without a second glance, Hotch headed off in the opposite direction, with Rossi close behind. JJ remained with her friends, each one dying to know the facts.

"What happened last night?" JJ said to Reid, her tones hushed.

Choosing not to answer, he rubbed the exhaustion from his eyes, hating himself more and more. "I can't believe this."

"It makes you wonder, though, why stuff like this happens to her." Emily pointed out. "What makes her so special?"

"I'll be in the car," Reid announced. They were wasting time. Despite the remorse, despite the circumstances, Reid was anxious to get to her. Just to make sure she was alright. He stormed off, not bothering to wait for the others.

"Reid," JJ called before he reached the exit. He reluctantly stopped, turning to see what she had to say. Instead, she ran up and put her arms around him comfortingly.

"It's going to be okay, Reid," she said, patting his back. Reid embraced her in return; they may have been nosey, but he knew his friends did it because they cared about him.

"Thanks, JJ," he said. He didn't know what he'd do without them.

…

The hospital was busy and chaotic. Emily, Reid, and Morgan waited outside of the ER, waiting for some attention from someone responsible for taking care of Riley. Twenty minutes went by with no result, Reid growing further impatient. He stood up to start pacing.

"Reid, you need to chill." Morgan said, sitting relaxed with his legs crossed. Emily sat a few seats away, looking just as calm.

"This is all my fault." He finally admitted.

"How is this your fault?" Emily asked, disbelieving.

"Are you with the FBI?" an intern interrupted, approaching them.

"Yes," Emily said, standing up. "I'm Agent Prentiss, theses are agents Morgan and Reid. We're here about Riley Parker."

"Yes, her attending is Dr. Matthews. He's not here right now, but I can answer your questions."

"Why isn't he here?" Reid demanded. "Are you a doctor?"

"Yes, agent. I'm an intern, but I assure you, I'm fully capable-"

"Her attending should be here with her. What if she's in pain or has internal bleeding or-"

"How is Riley's condition?" Morgan asked, silencing the all but hysterical young genius.

The young intern looked over a chart, reading **Parker, Riley** on the tab with serial and room numbers. "She's alright. Riley was brought in after 9 last night. She wasn't a priority case, so we didn't get to her until early this morning."

Reid rolled his eyes, unbelieving, muttering "priority case" under his breath.

"She has mostly superficial injuries. The most severe was the head wound, she lost a good amount blood, but there's no long term damage. We ran a CAT scan and an MRI and then stitched it up. She's going to be weak for awhile. The biggest thing was the bruising; she took a good beating, along with a twisted ankle and a hairline fracture in her hand."

"What about evidence from the attack?" Emily asked. "We were told that was collected."

"We took what we could, there wasn't much. At first we thought Riley had lost more blood than she did because her coat was covered in it. It wasn't hers, which makes us believe she did some damage of her own to the guy. We have the coat in evidence for you. There were some orange, brown chips surrounding a bruise on her cheek. We took a sample of those. There wasn't any evidence of rape, but we did a kit anyway just to be safe."

Reid remained silent, listening to the horrible things Riley went through, because of him.

"Where is she?" Morgan asked.

"She's resting, we gave her a room until you arrived. She didn't want to sleep; we gave her a sedative so she would rest." She flipped through the chart, looking for anything worth mentioning.

"How did you know to ask for Agent Hotchner?" Reid asked.

"We ran a search on her ID, found out she works for the FBI. We called their local offices which finally lead us to him. We couldn't find any family or emergency contact as it were… we're still trying to figure out who Spencer is, he needs to be notified."

Emily and Morgan both glanced at their friend. Reid felt like his chest was going to explode. "She was asking for Spencer?" Emily made sure.

"The EMTs said she was severely disorientated on the way in, she kept mumbling for someone by that name. Why, do you guys know who he is?"

It might not have been appropriate, but Reid gave a small smile. He raised his hand in an informal manner. "Me," he said.

The intern appeared both surprised and impressed. "Oh, well… you're probably anxious to see her."

"Yeah, Reid, why don't you go and talk to Riley. We'll get the evidence and meet you there in a few minutes."

Reid nodded. Without so much as a goodbye or thank you, he went in search of the elevators. Emily and Morgan went off with the intern.

"I didn't think agents in the FBI could date each other." The intern said once he was out of earshot.

Morgan smiled, laughing lightly "Dr. Parker's not an agent. And they're not dating."

"Really? I don't believe that." The intern replied.

"Try being in our place," Emily added.

…

The closer he got to her room, the slower Reid walked. He flashed back, hobbling down another hospital corridor, dragging an IV along beside him, and seeing the girl he coveted so, lying as a battered mess in a hospital bed. It had broken his heart to see his love like that. He had done all he could to save her, and she still had turned out like that. He didn't know if he could bear seeing it again and knowing this time it was his liability. She was going to hate him. Reid knew he deserved it, but he loathed the idea just the same.

Room 311. A private room. Cautiously, Reid peaked through the window in the door, taking in the scene that made his stomach contract and his heart pound.

Riley looked like an angel. Resting on the pillow, she was fast asleep. To be honest, she didn't look nearly as bad as before, but it was still a sad sight. There was a line of three stitches on her temple. A bruise on the opposite side sat on the apple of her cheek; purple surrounding a small cut. Her hand and ankle were both wrapped in ace bandages.

Careful not to make a noise, Reid opened the door and stepped in. Both hands rested over her stomach, rising and falling gradually with each of her serene breaths. She was still in her skirt and sweater. Reid felt a pang of guilt seeing a patch of blood on her shoulder below the stitches. Her shoes and nylons were removed, Reid's eyes lingering on her bare legs for several moments, three or four large bruises on each.

He didn't want to wake her. He set his bag down and took off his coat. Slowly, he made it over to the bed, trying not to disturb anything as he sat next to her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, watching her eyes flutter. As she exhaled, she sighed contently. After all she'd been through; at least she was sleeping with composure. He missed listening to the sounds she made when she slept. Every sigh, every moan. He missed holding her, breathing the scent of her perfume; roses. Riley loved roses. Reid reached over and rested her hand on his cheek, stroking it.

"Hmm… ," she mumbled, nuzzling into his touch, her eyes still flickering rapidly. It was too much to hope she was dreaming about him. He carefully leaned in, pressing his lips to her forehead.

With the impression of Snow White, Riley opened her eyes at the feel of his kiss. She gasped softly, seeing him hovering over her. Reid immediately backed away, afraid he had offended her. She sat up slowly, looking him over as if unsure this were still a dream.

"Hi," she finally whispered. Reid absorbed the feeling of those dazzling brown eyes once again; like everything he ever needed to know lay in those eyes.

"Hi," Reid repeated. "How do you feel?"

She moaned, discomforted. Her bandaged hand reaching to inspect the trio of stitches. "Sore..." her response was. She looked him over with question. Was he still mad?

His next words answered her question. "I am so sorry, Riley," he softly stated.

"This isn't your fault, Spencer," she said. Tears were forming in her eyes.

"Yes, it is. I got mad at you…. You could have been killed because I was so selfish."

"No, that's not true… I shouldn't have gotten upset. I shouldn't…" A few droplets trickled from her eyes as she caught her breath. "You had every right to be angry. If I had… I had been… treated like that… I probably would have left, too."

He wouldn't look at her, his eyes focused downward. Riley continued. "Please tell me what you're thinking."

A long pause with no answer, Riley finally leaned forward and rested her forehead against his. "Look at me," she said.

Reid's eyes finally traveled up to hers. They were pulsating, shimmering. "Riley… please just tell me the truth… do you love me or not?"

Riley hesitated. Breaking his heart was the hardest thing she ever had to do, and it never got any easier. "I care about you. You're a wonderful person and the best friend I ever had. But… I don't love you anymore."

He nodded, his tears falling. His hand traveled into her hair while his lips went up to kiss her forehead again. "Okay," he said, his lips against her skin. Riley felt horrible, clinging to him as her tears fell. She didn't like lying to him, but lying was the only way.


	12. Marking Territory

Some time passed and they both calmed down. Reid grabbed a tissue off the side table; Riley took it with appreciation and dabbed her eyes. Those beautiful brown eyes…

He couldn't think like that anymore. His hand remained clasped in her undamaged one. Reid squeezed it, pulling her attention.

"Riley," he began. "I know you don't want to talk about this… but we need to go over what happened to you."

As hard as it was for Riley to relive it, it was just as hard for Reid to listen. He knew full well she went through it because of him. Had his love not been as strong and stubborn as she was, Riley would be lost in an unmarked grave somewhere in the city.

She didn't object, however, nodding and blotting her eyes. Her attention was down at her lap. Reid watched as her untamed curls collided around her, framing her face. "Where should I start?"

"How about… after that jerk left you in the rain…"

She looked up, a newfound glow in her eyes. She smiled lightly, placing her hand behind his head, pulling them closer. Riley kissed his cheek. She sat back and gazed into his eyes, lost in the hazel glow. "Don't call my best friend a jerk."

It didn't last long. She looked away again, her eyes staring off to the left side, trying to access the memory center of her brain. "I was angry… I just started walking. The rain got really frigid, it was like ice…" She noticed him flinch hearing she was stuck in the freezing rainfall. "If you're going to keep getting upset, maybe I should tell this to one of your friends."

"No," Spencer said. "I'm sorry. Continue."

"I walked for a long time…" She conveniently left out her own thoughts. Internally debating what she had just done, once again breaking the heart of the man she loved; the only man who ever convinced her she was worth something. "…my feet seemed to move on their own."

It fit the profile, Reid noticed. "…it got dark… the pavement was really slick and I remembered thinking Mary Jane saddle shoes are not the best all weather footwear." She noticed Reid stifle a small laugh. Riley was glad, smiling with him. "I kept walking and… I didn't run into any strange people, I got into my neighborhood, it's more residential. I remembering hearing things… a car door slammed… some dogs barking… but nothing life threatening… and then I thought my footsteps started to sound weird."

"Weird how?" Reid asked.

Riley opened her mouth to carry on, faltering. Reid had shifted in his seat absentmindedly, his hand leaving the grasp of hers and slid idly on inner thigh, just above her knee. Riley knew he hadn't meant to do it; it was habit. He used to do that all the time… and Riley took a moment, savoring his touch, before snapping back to the present. "Uh… like they were echoing. But I was still so distracted, it didn't register in my mind." She barely heard her own words, loving the feel of his hand there.

"When I finally came to my senses… I thought it might have been you following me… but you wouldn't do that to me… I was hoping it was because the alternative was far more severe… I could feel him getting closer… until he was right behind me." The effort of remembering had increased the current pain in her head. She reached up and rubbed her forehead.

"Another headache?" he asked.

"Yeah… anyway, I decided to turn, just to… see who it was… and that's when he hit me."

"You're lucky," Reid said, his other hand reaching over to give a gentle brush to her bruised cheek. "If you hadn't turned when you did, he'd have hit you in the back of the head. It probably would have knocked you out."

"I thought I was going to pass out, it hurt so bad." She closed her eyes, like the memory itself was stinging her. "I couldn't even fathom what had happened at first… well… it knocked me off my feet… and when I fell, my ankle twisted under me… he… pulled me up… I tried to fight him off…"

"Riley," Reid said, leaning closer to her. "You did fight him off. You survived."

Before she could stop herself, she spoke again, letting another wave of tears fall. "You know the whole time I was struggling with him… I was scared, knowing he wanted to dump me in a shallow grave so no one would ever find me… and I kept thinking any minute… Spencer's going to show up and save me… again…"

He couldn't help being disturbed this time. "I shouldn't have left you. I am so sorry."

"Stop apologizing." She said, her watery eyes opening. "I'm not mad… anyway… several minutes of struggle felt like hours… I kept screaming for help… I felt like I was on autopilot, I don't even remember thinking, just reacting… finally, he threw me onto the pavement. I hit my head and by the time I finally got up… he had run off… I searched for my phone, but it had gotten smashed… I tried to get up, but I couldn't walk on my ankle… so I just sat there…" he hand went up to her stitches again. "I held my head, trying to stop the bleeding."

"Did you see his face?" Reid asked, though he was sure he knew the answer.

Riley shook her head. "I saw him, but… I can't remember it… I don't know, maybe I would recognize him if I came face to face with him again, but-"

"Excuse me, Miss Parker?" a man said at the door.

Reid turned and saw a young doctor standing at the door. He recognized him immediately, having no idea the young man was in the city of Seattle.

"Yes?" Riley asked.

"You don't remember me?" he asked, stepping in. "You were in here a few weeks ago for an ultrasound. I'm-"

"Maria's brother," Reid blurted out. Both Riley and the doctor looked at him surprised. "You're Maria Engles' brother."

He was immediately disturbed that Reid knew that. He shifted back towards the door cautiously, as if Reid was some creepy stalker.

"How do you know that?" Riley asked.

"Emily and I interviewed Linda Engles on Saturday. She had photos all over the room of her children." He looked back at the doctor. "One of them is you."

"You can recognize me from a photo you only saw once?" He was skeptic. "But you are right. I'm Dr. James Engles, you can call me Jimmy. Maria was my sister."

"I'm very sorry for your loss," Reid said, standing up to shake his hand. "I'm investigating your sister's murder." He knew he should be sympathetic to a victim's family member, but his thoughts slipped elsewhere. Reid turned back to Riley, questioning. "Ultrasound for what?"

"My headaches," She explained. "I went to the doctor about them a few weeks ago. Dr… Engles, Jimmy – sorry I didn't catch your name last time – he did an ultrasound on my carotid artery."

"Did he find anything?" he asked.

"That's not really relevant right now, Dr. Reid." Riley deflected, a way to urge him to stay on topic.

He got the hint, "Right, I'm… sorry. We've been trying to track you down; your… mother made it out that all her sons weren't in contact with her."

"That's because we're not," Dr. Engles explained. "I don't believe our mother is exactly… sane."

Again, Reid didn't take that so easily. So many people would claim someone they knew was crazy, just because they acted a little different or against the normal rules of society. Reid knew. He knew what it was like, every day, to deal with someone who was out of their mind. The physical and emotional tolls it took on a person were devastating and it couldn't be understood – truly understood – unless it was experienced first hand.

While he didn't show any reaction, Riley watched him carefully as she said "You're not the first person we heard state that."

"Look, I don't know for sure, but I did grow up with the woman and… I suspect my mother might be bipolar or something."

"Really?" Reid asked. He took a glance at Riley. This was supposed to be her area of expertise. "Why do you say that?"

"It wasn't so bad when I was young, I just thought she was strict, but… once I got older, I understood a lot of the things she did… weren't right. She'll be happy one minute and then screaming the next. She'll start half baked projects and never finish them. Things got really bad after my father died, and Maria got the worst of it all."

"Why Maria?" Riley asked.

"She was the only girl. Mom always had so many ideas and thoughts for Maria, but Maria had her own dreams for the future. Mom didn't like people messing up her plans. We had done enough damage in that area, apparently. Kids were not supposed to be apart of her life experience… and then Maria made her announcement and Mom was furious. She'd finally gotten her life to herself and now she'd have another kid to care for."

Reid had a suspicion. "You mean Maria was pregnant."

"Yeah… I did the ultrasound myself about a week ago. I told Maria that I would take care of her, she would never have to burden Mom."

"She told her anyway?" Riley suspected.

Jimmy nodded. "Maria hadn't told anyone else yet, not even her friends. She was planning on dropping out of school and getting a job… Mom was furious, she wanted her to get rid of it, but Maria wouldn't listen. I talked to Maria Friday night and I told her to meet me. She was at the movies with a friend, the theater wasn't that far away so she decided to walk…" He looked at the ground in obvious distress. Maria was going to meet him when she went missing, that would be enough to drive anyone insane with guilt. "Listen, I heard you were here, but I didn't know why. I just wanted to check on you."

"Why do you care?" Reid asked, what looked like jealousy seeped through in his tone.

"Miss Parker told me about her headaches, when I did her ultrasound." Jimmy stated. "I was concerned for her, they sounded severe. I wasn't informed on what her condition was today; I thought it had something to do with that."

"It doesn't," Reid affirmed, resentful. "And as you can see _Doctor_ Parker is well taken care of. You don't need to be here."

"Yes, it would appear so." Jimmy said. A bit thrown off by Reid, he looked to Riley. "Well, I need to get back to work. Please keep me informed. I'd like to help you anyway I can."

Without another word, he slipped out the door. Reid turned to face Riley, surprised that she looked to a great extent annoyed.

"What was that?" she asked, her arms folded themselves over her chest.

"What?" He shrugged.

Riley continued. "There's no reason for you to be jealous and even if there was, it doesn't mean you have to act like that."

"Act how? I was just pointing out the truth."

"Oh, please, did you hear yourself? It was like you were marking your territory! You may as well have just come over and peed on my leg!"

Reid couldn't think of a response to that, Riley was unpredictable a lot of the time. He knew he had been jealous, and he hadn't meant it to slip out, it just did. Riley wasn't his anymore, she hadn't been for a long time, and he didn't reserve the right to "mark his territory" as she so lovingly put it.

Morgan and Emily, having finally arrived, opened the door and entered just as Reid spoke, "I would never do that." It was the only retort he could think of.

Riley rolled her eyes; Morgan and Emily glanced at each other, thoroughly confused.


	13. Back at the Station

The others were working at the station. Craig Lestman sat alone in the interrogation room. He was impatient, having been in there for some time. According to friends' statements, Addie had gone to his place after band practice; information that was unknown to her parents. Both Mr. and Mrs. Zachariah were in the captain's office, trying to be consoled by JJ.

Mr. Zachariah stood at the window, refusing to look in his wife's direction. His rage mixed with his devastation. Both parents had a film of grief lingering over them. Though there was no proof, no one had a doubt that Addie was dead, especially her parents. Mrs. Zachariah sat on the couch, crying quietly. Her attitude seemed more guilty than mad.

JJ sat with her; an attempt to discover any usable information. "Was Craig her boyfriend?" JJ asked.

"Absolutely not!" Mr. Zachariah yelled. "Addie knew dating was not allowed, especially with a college boy!"

"Craig used to live across the street from us," Mrs. Zachariah explained. "We've known him since he was a little boy; he used to play with our older son. We always knew Addie had a crush him, but… we never suspected she was seeing him."

"She was not seeing him!" Her husband screamed back. "He's seven years older than her. You find out what he did with my little girl and then I want the little bastard brought up on statutory rape charges!"

"Mr. Zachariah, we have no proof Craig Lestman had sex with your daughter and… we certainly don't believe he did anything to her."

"What do you know, then?" He asked.

"We believe Addie is a victim in the Undertaker case." She explained.

Mrs. Zachariah was shocked, barely able to speak for a moment. "You mean… you think he… buried her alive? We'll never find her!"

"Ma'am, we're doing everything we can to find her."

"How do you know the little prick didn't just stage it to look like this Undertaker?" Mr. Zachariah wondered.

"It fits the pattern of the other victims, Mr. Zachariah. I know this is difficult, but I need you to tell me everything about Addie's regular routine. You said she often comes home after you've gone to bed. Do you have any idea of the places she would go? Other than Craig's?"

Meanwhile, Hotch and Rossi came into the interrogation room. Craig looked thankful at the sight, and at the same time twice as anxious.

"I've been sitting in her forever." He stated as Rossi and Hotch both claimed a seat. He had attempted to sound threatening, but it only came off as nervous.

"Oh, come on," Rossi said, "It hasn't been forever."

Craig got right to the point. "I don't know what happened to Addie."

Rossi acted curious. "You don't sound very upset about what happened to her."

"Look, I've known Addie her whole life. She's a nice girl and I'm sorry she's missing but… I'm glad she's out of my hair."

"You're glad she was abducted and possibly murdered?" Hotch asked. That same dangerous look settled on his face, like a predator preparing for the kill.

Craig shifted uncomfortably. "Of course not," he said, looking downward. He diffidently pushed his raggedy dark brown hair out of his eyes. "But Addie couldn't get it through her head that I wasn't interested in her."

"So you're saying she wasn't your girlfriend, then." Rossi determined.

"She thought she was. Look… I admit it was wrong. Addie and I had sex a couple of times. She was a virgin and… she kept thinking we were going to end up married and… well, I tried to break it off…" He paused, his fingers absentmindedly playing with the frayed edges of his sweatshirt sleeves. "She kept pestering and I… I couldn't… look, I'm just a guy."

Rossi nodded. "You know the 'Just a guy' defense doesn't stand up against statutory rape."

"Or murder for that matter." Hotch added.

"I didn't kill her! I swear! Look…" His breathing labored and sweat shined on his brow. "…Addie came by my place the other night. We didn't do anything. See… we had had a… a pregnancy scare about a week ago. Even though she was on the pill… but she came by the other night to tell me it was false. She went to the doctor and found out it was just… a cyst or something, I don't know. She thought I'd be mad because she said she had to go off her birth control, otherwise the… cysts would… kill her lady parts." He let out a sigh of relief. "It couldn't have been more perfect. I told her we couldn't see each other anymore then, she got mad and she stormed out. The next thing I know, those detectives are banging down my door and I'm being question by the feds!"

He leaned forward, to further plead his innocence. "I thought about going after her to drive her home… but I knew her parents were be furious if they saw we were together… if I'm guilty of anything, it's that. I swear, I didn't kill her."

He was upset now, but more for his own regard. His eyes stayed down, glancing up to Hotch and Rossi for a moment, then back down again. They let the young man hang in agony for a several seconds.

"We don't think you killed her, Mr. Lestman." Rossi explained. Craig sat up, his eyes sunken with relief. "Otherwise, we'd be charging you with five additional murders, and twelve counts of abduction."

"Can I go then?" He said, his eyes flashing at the door.

"No," Hotch answered. "The point is you were the last person to see Addie Zachariah alive. We need to know everything that happened that night. We need to know what you did, what you talked about, and any idea where she had gone."

Craig looked confused. "She went home."

"No, she didn't Mr. Lestman." Rossi said, firmly. "Addie may have left for home, but she certainly never made it there."

…

They made it back to the station. The tension between Riley and Reid had not dissipated since their mild bicker on jealousy. Morgan held the door opened for Riley as she limped slightly inside, looking back at Reid who seemed to keep a few steps behind the others. Thankfully, Morgan didn't mention anything to him. But he did share a knowing look with Emily which Reid never noticed.

The conference room was empty as they came in and sat down. Reid watched as Riley gingerly took a seat. "Are you sure you feel up to this?" he finally asked.

"I'm fine," she said. Her attitude seemed calm, but Riley still wouldn't look at him.

"Are you absolutely sure, because you shouldn't do too much too soon." He pressed taking a few seats down from her.

"Excuse me, which one here is the medical doctor?" She asked, her annoyance seeping out again.

"I'm just concerned, Riley," Reid replied.

"I know," Her voice softened, realizing she was not entirely blameless here herself. Her eyes met his again, seeming to forget for a split second that there were two others in the room.

Emily took it upon herself to change the subject. "I've got to hand it to you, Riley. You really held your own in that fight."

"Considering you don't have any hand to hand training," Morgan added. "It seems you got quite a bit of his blood on your coat, any idea how that happened?"

Riley shook her head. "Didn't we go over this story already?"

"Sometimes victims can remember new things when they tell the story again." Reid explained.

"God, I'm a victim." Riley muttered to herself, rubbing her forehead. Reid suspected another headache. A fresh head wound couldn't have helped anything.

"Riley, you survived," Emily said. "And you did some damage in the process. Some people would be proud of that."

"It shouldn't have happened in the first place." Reid mumbled. He noticed Riley looking to him, silently urging him to stop beating himself up. He couldn't let it go; Reid was desperate for a way to make it up for her.

"Any idea how his blood got on your coat?" Morgan asked.

Riley thought for a moment, then shook her head.

"Did you him stab or something?" Reid asked.

Riley heaved out a sigh, "Just because you keep asking, doesn't mean I'm going to remember. And what in the name of sanity would I have stabbed him with, Spencer-" Suddenly, she gasped. "My glasses."

"What about them?" Emily asked.

"I remember… they were in my pocket… when I fell the first time, I landed on them and my cell phone, they smashed… I remember… my hand found one piece… the ear piece, and I… I stabbed him in the arm with it. A moment later, he shoved me to the ground and ran off." The delicate tips of her fingers danced over her trio of stitches again. "Everything's such a blur…"

"It's okay," Reid said. "You did well."

"And, because of you… we now have his DNA."

"That's not going to do much good, Prentiss." Morgan pointed out. "This guy never raped his victims, there is no DNA."

"No, but we can have Garcia run it through CODIS. Maybe we'll get a hit on a lesser crime. Even if he's not the unsub, we'll at least have Riley's attacker."

Morgan thought for a moment. It sounded logical to him, and from the expressions of the others, so it did to them. "I'll get her on the phone."

He grabbed his cell phone and left to make the call. Reid sat alone with the two women, trying and failing to keep his eyes from trailing over to Riley. She sat, leaning on her hand with her eyes closed. Emily looked over the hospital report, not noticing. Reid felt he should be doing something instead of just sitting and staring.

"Another headache?" Reid asked.

"I'm fine," Riley mumbled, sitting up. "Shouldn't we be doing something?"

"Here's the evidence report if you'd like to look it over." Emily said, offering the form over to her. Riley read as Emily continued. "They took samples from the cut in your cheek. The flakes were brown with bits of acrylic paint, probably a brick."

"Does that match the others?" Riley asked. Reid stood up and moved to behind Riley. He leaned down to glance over her shoulder. Involuntarily inhaling the smell of her hair, his hands itching to pull her close to him. At least with Emily there, all temptation diminished.

"Some of them," Reid said, remembering the previous files. "Some had mud in their wounds, others were clean. The clean ones were possibly hit with a crow bar or pipe. Maria was too soiled to exactly determine what incapacitated her, but the wound was more of a slice. I'm assuming caused with a shovel."

Riley set the file aside, her thoughts elsewhere. "What is it?" Reid asked.

"I'm just wondering…" She said, her eyes glossy. "… what my number would have been."

"Don't think like that, Riley," Emily urged. "You survived, that's what matters."

"No, I'm just considering… maybe… if we can figure that out… we'll be closer to catching him."


	14. Closed Eyes

It was getting late. Back in Quantico, three hours ahead, Garcia had contacted Seattle Mercy for the DNA evidence. So far, CODIS had no hits, but it could take days for it to run through the entire system. She had promised to keep them informed.

Craig Lestman had told everything he knew. It wasn't much. He had no idea who Addie could have encountered or even what direction she had taken to get home. All he did know was that Addie was a naïve, trusting teenaged girl, but she would never go off with someone she didn't know. Craig was released and, with sympathy from JJ, the Zachariahs left broken hearted, no closer to finding their daughter.

Outside, the sun had set and the sky was dark. Overcast had set in once again. Rain was forecasted for the evening. The team and detectives, tired and running out of steam, unanimously decided to call it a night. Everyone gathered their things, making plans to head out to dinner. Everyone except Riley.

Hotch, who had for many years held a soft spot for the young girl, attempted to convince her. "You might feel better if you come out for a bite to eat. It's not healthy being alone all the time."

Reid felt a pang of jealousy, knowing the two had kept in touch. Still, he waited with batted breath hoping she'd agree.

"No, I'm… just not in a sociable mood. I really just want to go home." She said, carefully standing up.

"Well, I'd feel more comfortable if someone took you and stayed with you." Hotch said. Reid stood frozen, packing up as slowly as possible.

"Aaron, that's sweet, but I can take care of myself. No one has to inconvenience their lives to protect me."

"Riley, the unsub knows who you are. I have a feeling this wasn't a spontaneous attack, he may have stalked you for awhile. And, he may not take too kindly to you getting away. You should have an officer stay with you."

"I'm not having someone I don't know stay in my apartment with me, Aaron!" Riley exclaimed.

"Well," he noticed Reid eavesdropping behind them, "fine, I'll take you home. I'll stay with you."

Before a single neuron shot in Reid's brain, he answered, "You know, I… I could do it." He watched Riley, whose face was impassive. "I mean… if that's alright with you."

Riley swallowed her nerves, but nodded. "Um… yeah, yeah, that's… fine. That's fine with me."

"Good," Hotch said. "Reid can stop by the hotel and grab his stuff, and then we'll see you guys in the morning."

He left quickly before either could second guess their agreement. They stood awkwardly for a moment, before mutually deciding to take their leave.

…

The temperature outside was freezing as Reid and Riley headed to the car. The walk was difficult; she must have been in a lot of pain. Reid's arm slipped across the small of her back, his hand resting on her hip. Riley didn't object.

She waited in the car while Reid packed quickly. He only needed things for the night. Hotch may order someone else to stay with her tomorrow, but even if he didn't, Reid didn't want to seem too eager. He didn't expect anything to come of this night. They wouldn't even sleep in the same room. Still, it was a move in the right direction. Maybe if Riley saw how much he cared about her, that no one could care this much about her, she would fall in love with him again… or realize she truly never stopped.

It might be too much to hope for. Someone as smart as Reid should know better, which he determined as he grabbed his toothpaste and shaving cream from the bathroom. For centuries, people have tried to rationalize, explain, and define love. Sometimes you did stupid things; you put your life and everything surrounding it in danger. Your mind gets foggy just from watching her brush her hair off her face, you find yourself attempting and often failing to like the same things just to make her happy, and you encounter her in the morning, with bloodshot eyes, tangled hair, and putrid morning breath, and you think no one has ever been more beautiful. Maybe the explanation was it can't be explained.

He finished at the hotel and got back down to the car. He pulled out of the parking lot, glancing at Riley. She looked tired, slouched in her seat. It had been a long day.

"Are you sure you don't want to get something to eat?" He asked as he pulled onto the highway.

"I kind of just want to get home." She said, turning towards him. Reid could see the ordeal taking its toll on her. "I'm really tired."

"Come on, you have to be hungry. You haven't eaten all day. Why don't I just get some take out and we'll eat at home. Your home, I mean."

Her face broke into a small smile. She nodded. "I'm defiantly up for that."

After a fifteen minute stop at a Chinese place for dinner, Reid drove them to her place. He helped her out of the car, one hand guiding her on her hip, the other clutching their food. His overnight bag left abandoned in the car.

Reid insisted Riley rest on the couch while he prepared two plates. "You don't have to take care of me," she called towards the kitchen. 'You're just here for precautionary reasons."

"I'm not going to let you hobble into the kitchen to serve yourself." Reid announced as he walked in carrying their food. She hadn't noticed him at first as she lay on the couch in her stocking feet, her hair let loose and spread out around her. Her eyes were closed and Reid lingered on her form for a moment. All he wanted was to watch her sleep. He couldn't let his mind wander, though. They had a whole night alone in this apartment together. Reid had to keep his composure. He may have been asked to stay with her, but it was still Riley's call. If she told him to leave, he had to leave.

He nudged her awake and handed her a plate. She giggled, "Plastic forks?"

"I had them throw them in. For the… chop stick incompetent."

She giggled again, revealing those gleaming white misshapen teeth, framed by her perfect pink lips. Reid decided to focus on his food.

It was almost like they were back in Quantico. They laughed and talked like they hadn't spent all that time apart. Reid and Riley discussed everything they'd been through since they said goodbye. Reid cleverly left out how despondent he'd been, finding little reason to neither go out nor clean up. He'd also been pleased that Riley hadn't gone out much, mostly working and trying to adjust to Seattle. If she wasn't going out, she wasn't seeing anyone else.

"I hope the couch is okay for you," Riley said slowly as she set her empty plate on the coffee table.

"Oh, it'll be fine," he replied, lazily twirling some Lo Mien on his fork. "I've been sleeping on the couch a lot lately."

"Oh, that explains it." She said, watching him as she leaned on the arm of the sofa.

"Explains what?" he asked.

"Why you looked so tired," she explained. Reid looked surprised, Riley wasn't exactly a profiler. "You forget, Spencer, I was your therapist. I know how to read you. Now, explain please to your former therapist why you've been sleeping on your couch."

Reid shrugged. "I've been… focused on work a lot lately. A lot of tough cases. The rare times I am home, I end up just crashing in the living room."

"You never did that when I was there." Riley pointed out.

"Well, I had a good reason to make sure I made it to the bed then." He said, smiling. He missed her, and he so desperately wanted her back, but he had to admit, it was good to be able to joke about this.

Riley laughed, starting to move. "Well…" she said, "I hate to… cut our lovely evening short, but… I am really exhausted… I think I'm going to go to bed early. If that's alright?"

"Definitely," Reid said. "There are plenty of books to read, they should occupy me for an hour or so."

She laughed again, standing up. "If you're sure."

He nodded again. "I'm here if you need anything."

She carefully leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for… staying with me."

"You don't need to thank me." He said, looking up into her brown eyes, they were glowing. "Good night,"

"Night," she replied. Without the help of her cane, Riley hopped and limped down the hall to her bedroom. Reid watched her until she was out of sight, reaching for the book on top of the closest pile.

Ten minutes later, as he was about to begin his second one, he heard her. "Spencer," she called. "Could you… come here please?"

"What is it?" he asked, heading in the direction of her cry.

"Just… come here." It was more a whine than a plea for help. Reid carefully pushed open the bedroom door, unsure what was waiting for him in there.

The bedroom looked like the most used room in the apartment. Some boxes stood unpacked, but most of her things were out, scattered around. Her bed was neatly made. That was odd. If she hadn't fully unpacked or cleaned up, why would she take the time to make her bed?

Riley stood next to her efficient bed, still dressed in her sweater and skirt with thigh highs now removed, looking miserable. "What's wrong?" he asked.

She heaved a sigh. "This is embarrassing, but… I can't… I can't change."

"Why… why can't you change?"

"I can't…" This was humiliating. She rolled her eyes, wishing she didn't need to explain it. "I can't balance on one foot and dress with a broken hand at the same time, I just… I need you to… support me."

Reid tried not to laugh, but it seeped out anyone. "Just forget it; I'll sleep in my clothes again."

"No," he called. "I'm sorry; I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing because you don't need to be embarrassed. I'll help you."

"Are you sure?" she asked, timid.

"Yes, it's fine. I don't mind." He assured.

She exhaled, at ease. "Okay, thank you. Close your eyes."

Surprised. "What?"

"Close your eyes," she urged, as if it were obvious.

"Why?"

She gave a nervous chortle. "Well, I don't want you to see me naked."

"You… don't want me to see you naked? You're serious?"

"Yes, I'm serious."

He was stunned. "Riley… I've seen you naked a hundred times."

"Well, that was different. That was when we were dating."

"Do I need to explain the definition of an eidetic memory?"

"Spencer, please. I would just feel more comfortable if you closed your eyes."

"Fine," he gave in. "I am a gentleman, I will close my eyes."

He did as she asked. He didn't even attempt a peek. The sounds of fabric and the sliding of a zipper were heard. This was ridiculous, but he remained blind just the same.

It stopped being funny, however, when he felt her get close to him. Her scent filled his nose and he inhaled deeply. It took every ounce of willpower in him to remain in the dark, knowing the woman of his dreams was disrobing in front of him.

Reid felt her take his hands and place them on her waist. "Just hold me steady so I don't fall." He nodded, and heard her giggle. "Are you okay?"

No. He was not okay. "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"You look a little pale," she said. He knew she was smiling.

"This is just entirely absurd," he said, smiling. He heard her snigger.

"I know," she replied. She swayed slightly in his hands. Reid held her steady; the familiar feel of her supple skin in his hands; he brushed it softly, trying to savor the feel. "Thank you for putting up with me."

Her arm went over his shoulder as she put her weight on her bad foot. She pulled herself closer to him. Reid felt her stomach and torso press against him. She was still wearing her bra and he resisted the urge to see what color it was. Automatically, Reid moved his head and felt his lips press against the silkiness of her shoulder. "You're welcome," he muttered into her skin.

Riley seemed to freeze at his kiss. Then he felt her hand run up into his hair, massaging his scalp with the tips of her fingers. Reid remained unmoving in her arms. He placed another kiss on her shoulder, still stationary. Riley's breath blew on the side of his face, warm and minty sweet.

Riley pulled from him. "Just one more minute," she said, sure she was pulling on her shirt. He didn't need to stay now, but he remained motionless. Something wouldn't let him leave her.

"Okay," she said. His hazel eyes slowly opened and he saw her, now standing in cotton pajama pants and a spaghetti strap top. Her hands drew a few strokes of a hairbrush through her twisted curls. "Thank you," she said, sincerely. The hilarity of the situation had diminished.

She began pulling back the covers, getting ready to lie down. Reid walked over to her, brushing some loose hair off her face. "You're welcome; I'll be in there if you need me."

He turned to leave. "Wait, Spencer," she called.

Reid looked back. Suddenly, Riley had a look of pure terror on her face. "Stay," she said.

"What?" he asked.

"Just… stay in here with me. I didn't want to say anything before; I thought I'd be okay, but… I'm not… I'm scared."

"Okay," he replied, softly. Reid didn't need any convincing. He closed the door and switched off the light. The room was all but pitch black. Not even the street light poked in through the blinds. Reid carefully maneuvered around the room to get to the opposite side of the bed. He sat down, removed his shoes, and carefully lied down next to her, above the covers, in his clothes and mismatched socks.

"Thank you," she whispered. "I just don't want to be alone."

"You don't have to be scared." Reid said.

"What if Aaron's right? What if he does know where I live and he comes after me?"

"It's not going to happen." He urged.

"Spencer, it happened before!" She cried.

"Okay, Riley, calm down," He quieted her by wrapping his arm around her middle. Reid pulled Riley closer to him. She didn't object. "I'm right here; I'm not going to let anyone get to you, as long as I'm still standing. Remember?"

Riley gently brushed the side of his face, her brown eyes locked with his hazel. "Of course I remember."

"Everything's going to be fine. Okay?"

Strangely enough, she believed him. Riley couldn't explain it, but Spencer had a hold on her. She nodded, "Okay," she sighed.

"Go to sleep. I will stay right here. All night."

She gave a small smile, closing her eyes. "Goodnight," she muttered.

"Goodnight," Reid repeated. He reached up to kiss her forehead. Riley smiled again, her eyes kept closed. She loved it when he did that.

Reid lay still and watched her. In a few minutes, her breathing became deep and stable. She unconsciously nestled closer to him, feeling her fingers linger on his chest. He was afraid the beating of his heart would keep her awake, it was pounding so hard. Reid gazed at her until he fell into a peaceful sleep as well; the first real sleep either had in seven months. Outside the rain had begun to fall and Reid's overnight bag remained forgotten.

A/N: I hope you guys like this chapter. I wanted to have a close, intimate scene between Reid and Riley without there being any actual sex. Stay tuned, some really exciting stuff will be happening soon. (And don't forget the poll on my profile.) Review!


	15. No News is Good News

Riley had awoken hours later. The room was dark and the sound of rain sounded on her windows. She had suspicion dawn wasn't far off. It was so hard to tell in Seattle; the intermittent overcast threw off her internal clock.

Her eyes landed on Spencer almost immediately. It only took a second to remember why he was here. She didn't want to move, afraid she'd wake him. Both arms were protectively around her and Riley hadn't realized how close she had moved to him in her sleep, like he was a protective cocoon around her. Spencer looked so peaceful, and she couldn't believe how much she missed waking up to this. Her eyes danced over him. They took in every relaxed muscle, every line and furrow in his face. Her index finger reached over, gently drawing a line down the bridge of his nose. Riley gave a light snort as Spencer twitched, looking like a bunny rabbit.

It had been like a dream. Her thoughts remembered last night, having complete dependence in him while she tried to get ready for bed. That kiss on her shoulder had almost robbed her of defenses. All her strength fought to resist him, and even then it had barely been enough. The feel of his hair in her fingers, leaning into the side of his face. If she hadn't backed off exactly when she did, Riley would have kissed him. There would have been no chance of stopping after that.

Two of her fingers caressed his lips delicately. They were just as soft as always. "I love you," she whispered.

He didn't move, not hearing a word. "I wish we could be together…" She felt tears in her eyes, knowing full well she would never be brave enough to say this if he were conscious. "… you have no idea how better off you are. I would rather you be with some other girl who deserves you… then be stuck with me." Her tears were falling now, onto the fabric of his sleeve. "I would just make you miserable… and I know you, Brainiac… if you knew the truth, you would do everything to prove me wrong. But I'm not wrong… not this time."

Reid grunted in his sleep, shifting slightly. Riley stopped talking, wiping her eyes quickly in case he awoke. He didn't, remaining still as he slept on. "I love you, Spencer."

"I love you, too, Riley." He muttered, not even waking up. She gasped, panicked until she realized he hadn't woken. She gave a laugh in disbelief, remembering when Spencer had insisted she had said the same to him while she slept, after their first night together. She wouldn't bring this up, though. It wouldn't do either of them a bit of good. Snuggling close to him again, Riley closed her eyes. In less than a minute, she was back to sleep, in the arms of the man she loved and the man she could never have.

…

Reid didn't awake until he heard his cell phone ringing. Riley was cuddled close to him, her head resting against his chest. Running on minimal sleep had finally caught up to him. He groggily pulled himself up, his movement startling Riley who stirred slightly but didn't wake up. Reid reached into his pocket and grabbed his phone. "Hello," he grumbled, his eyes slipping closed, adjusting to the soft light from the windows.

"Reid, where the hell are you? It's almost eleven." Hotch exclaimed into the phone.

"Uh…" Reid grunted. He managed to slip his arm out from under Riley's head without waking her. His free hand rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Sorry… Hotch… we must have overslept."

There was a silence on the other end, like Hotch suspected him of lying. At least Reid knew he was telling the truth, even if no one believed him. "Does Riley feel well enough to come in?"

"I think so. I'll check with her, she's… still in her room."

Another silence. Reid suspected that Hotch has suspicions, but he didn't let on. "Find out. I expect you in by noon if she is."

"Okay, we'll be there," He said quickly, hanging up the phone. His attention was immediately lost in the tranquil creature next to him. Reid hated to wake her. His old way was leaning down and kissing her collar bone until it revived her. Instead, he brushed her hair off her cheek. With a gentle sigh of content from his touch, he decided to give her a few more minutes. Reid watched her, breathing in and breathing out.

…

"Hey, feeling better?" Emily asked as Reid and Riley arrived that morning.

Indeed, Riley's ankle was sore, but not so much where a cane felt necessary. Reid's clothes were the same as yesterday with the exception of a different sweater vest. Though she felt better, Riley didn't have the energy to dress as professional as usual, wearing jeans and an oversized red sweater. Her hair was down and loose, looking more like a teenager lounging on a Saturday than an almost 30-year-old professional going to work. The rest of the group sans Hotch and Rossi, but with the detectives, were sorting through evidence in the conference room.

"A little," Riley said. The glances between the others were not lost on her, nor on Reid. Both could only imagine what the conversation had consisted of before they arrived, but they had a pretty good idea.

"What's going on?" Reid asked. One look around the room and he could tell they either had new evidence or had cracked a viable piece of the puzzle.

"911 call this morning just before midnight. Patricia Beck and her 13-year-old son Alex were on their way home from a basketball game that night at the high school. They were walking home, she had to stop at the corner market for a few things, told Alex to go home. He never made it."

"Was the note waiting for her?" Reid asked.

"This morning, it was in her mailbox," JJ explained. "They pulled us into it immediately. She's… devastated, she said Alex is sick."

"Sick how?" Riley asked.

"Cancer." JJ replied. "He has Leukemia. His mother said he's starting to improve. He's back at school, he attends his team's games even though he can't play yet. But he's still weak. We have to move quickly. If he's still with the unsub, Alex may not survive to be buried alive."

"So, what are we doing?" Reid asked.

JJ jumped in again. "Hotch and Rossi went off to meet with Alex's mother. The rest of us are working on leads."

Morgan's phone suddenly rang. Like the savior she so often was, Garcia was calling with apparent results. "Talk to us, Baby Girl." He said, putting her on speaker phone.

"Friends, country men, profilers, lend me your ears." Garcia called into the phone. The team never tired of Garcia's bubbly attitude. Levinson even looked amused while Novak rolled her eyes, like the prom queen forced to work with the science geeks. "I am pleased to announce that Alex Beck is still among the land of the living for the time being."

"How do you know that?" Emily asked.

"Someone spotted him sleeping in a car parked at a gas station just outside of King County. They recognized him from a newspaper, an article about the basketball star captain beating cancer. The car went off in the direction of Lloyds Crew, a small town about an hour outside of Seattle. The witness pulled a seven and a PN off the license plate to a ford explorer. I couldn't get an exact match."

"Okay, Novak, I want you to put out an APB on the partial plate and make for the Lloyds Crew PD." Levinson jumped in. "I think two of us ought to head out to Lloyds Crew to look around. If Alex is still alive, he won't be for long."

"No, why don't _they_ put out the APB, Logan, and you and I will go and track this perp down." Novak demanded.

"Because, Leona, like it or not, this isn't our case anymore." Levinson explained. "Now go do your damn job."

Furious, Novak stood, giving the BAU team one last glare, and headed out the door. Emily continued. "Anything else, Garcia?"

"As usual, I give you guys a juicy steak and you ask for sauce," She sassed. "But nothing else has come up yet. And that includes any hits on the DNA. It's still going through CODIS, sorry Riley."

"That's okay," Riley replied. "No news is good news."

"Call if you got anything else, Garcia," Emily said.

"Au revior, my cherubs!" She exclaimed. The click indicated the end of the conversation.

"Well, Reid, since you had a nice restful morning, why don't you get your skinny ass up and come with me to Lloyds Crew to track this kid down."

Reid silently agreed, standing up. Riley, however, had another plan. Quickly jumping up, she rushed after them as fast as her weak tendon would let her. She called after them outside the door. "I want to go."

Morgan and Reid stopped, both looking back surprised. Her face completely sincere.

"Riley," Morgan said, "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?" Riley asked.

"Because you're not an agent. You can't carry a gun, you don't have training, and you're injured, you should stay here." 

"I'm also the only one here who has medical training. Alex is sick, he needs help."

Morgan still wasn't convinced. "What would you be able to do?"

She had apparently thought it out. "You have first aid kits in the car, I'm sure. If we find him, I can at least do something to stabilize him, and then we can get him to a hospital instead of relying on blind faith in the EMTs to find us." Riley turned her attention to Reid. "That little boy is sick and alone, I want to help. I'm not doing any good _here_."

"Don't look to him for help. Reid's not going to put you in that danger, he's in love with you." Morgan argued.

Maybe he was trying to push Reid to make the right decision, or perhaps it had just been a Freudian slip. But either way, Reid felt like he was being manipulated. "Thanks, Morgan. Obviously I'm blinded by my feelings to make wise decisions. And I think she should come."

Reid stepped out quickly before anyone could protest. Riley glanced at Morgan, unsure what to do. "He made the wrong decision."

"No, you should come. You have a valid point, I just…" Morgan retorted. "I embarrassed him."

They made their way towards the entrance as Riley replied. "Embarrassed how? I know he still loves me. And you guys know our history. No ones out of the loop here."

"Embarrassed because… look, Reid has this twisted 'knight in shining armor' complex when it comes to you. He doesn't want to appear weak in front of you." Riley opened her mouth to contest his theory. "You know he loves you, okay, and you've seen the effect you have on him, I'm sure. But… I don't think you realize the kind of hold you have on that kid. You should have seen him the months you were gone."

"I know he never got over me," she replied. "And I'm sorry for that-"

"No, Riley, and if you care about him at all, you will not tell him I told you this… but he has been a mess; an absolute mess. Reid turned into this dejected alien form of himself ever since the day you left. And he'll fall right back into that as soon as we leave. Maybe even worse."

She began to feel a sharp pain developing in her chest. "Morgan… he'll be fine without me. Eventually. He just needs to get over me." Riley explained.

"Yeah, we know. But he won't. He doesn't want to, and even if he did… I don't think he can."

They made it out into the cold, the rain having finally stopped, and reached the car. Reid leaned against it, waiting for it to be unlocked.

"What the hell took you so long," Reid replied, opening the door as the click sounded from Morgan's key ring.

Riley climbed into the backseat. She felt Morgan's eyes on her and met his gaze momentarily. She claimed her seat in the middle. Reid glanced back at her, giving her a small, reassuring smile, "Are you sure you're up for this?"

Unable to unstick her throat, Riley nodded. He wasn't mad at her, but she felt like he should be. Riley certainly hated herself.

A/N: And yinz thought Morgan didn't care! :) Review, people!


	16. Schrodinger's Cat

A long while of silence. Reid's resentment eventually dissipated, and his attention went to the case files he'd brought along. "There has to be a connection between the victims. An unsub wouldn't kill like this unless each victim set him off somehow."

"These don't seem to be entirely random acts. He probably stalks his victims for at least a few days, and considering the length between kills, he probably stalks more than one person at a time." Morgan stated. "He used to bury his victims in coffins, and now, provided Addie was buried the same as Maria, he simply dumps them. What made him change?"

"Riley?" Reid voiced, glancing back. "You're awfully quiet back there. Medical opinion on his mental state?"

Riley wasn't listening. Her mind was focused on what Morgan had told her. Had Reid really been a mess, or had Morgan just said that to push them back together. She knew they were better off apart, it was why she'd severed contact. But it might explain his reasoning. If he were such a mess over her… no, that was absurd. It had to be a lie. 187 IQ and he was letting his life become disruptive over a woman. Maybe some women would be worth that. Ones that weren't emotionally awkward and doomed to ruin all personal lives touched. Unlike she was, repeating the same mistakes her parents had imprinted on her.

"Riley?" Morgan called, "You awake back there?"

"Yes!" she cried. "I'm just… thinking… why would a man take a kid with cancer?" She had been thinking of it during the briefing, it wasn't a complete lie.

"Maria was pregnant, he took her," Morgan pointed out.

"Maybe he didn't know that. Maria had just told her mother that morning, she was probably keeping it to herself." Reid voiced.

"Exactly, but cancer? That's not exactly something you can hide. Once one person knows, they pass the news on to other people, before long strangers have heard of you. Didn't the witness say he recognized Alex from a news article?"

"Okay, let's say he did know," Morgan said, "Why might he take him?"

"It seems cruel. I know Alex's mother said he was getting better, but it doesn't mean he was. There's a chance the treatment can backfire, and remission doesn't always last."

No one could think of an immediate answer. It was true, the poor boy was going through enough. Cancer was a different kind of torture, a torture no one would wish anyone to under go. It was a life long endurance, whether you beat it or not. Why would anyone, sane or not, feel the need to put anyone through a live burial, let alone a sick boy like Alex?

The three's separate, yet similar thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a ringtone. Morgan's cell. With a quick maneuver, he grabbed it and answered it, hitting speaker phone. "Prentiss," he said, informing the others the identity of the caller. "What do you got?"

"The cops got a possible hit off the numbers Garcia gave us," she informed them. "A Ford Explorer with the license plate 766-PND was reported stolen a month ago in Portland, Oregon."

"That seems like a pretty long distance to match the unsub's car." Reid said.

"Well, that's what they thought too when the APB was posted. Lloyds Crew police spotted an Explorer driving on Jefferson Avenue about ten minutes ago. They think it pulled behind the abandoned middle school building."

"Why don't they check it out, then?" Riley asked.

"Unfortunately, the building is now privately owned, they can't investigate it without a warrant. Now if the car is there, that's enough for probable cause."

"It's worth a shot," Morgan said. "Thanks, Prentiss. We'll call you back when we know something."

He hung up quickly. The exit leading to Lloyds Crew was quickly approaching them. The road trip was quickly coming to a stop. Each one hoping for a successful outcome to their journey, all with the same feeling to expect the worst.

…

"Jefferson Avenue!" Reid cried, pointing down the street. "I told you we'd find it."

"Yeah," Morgan exclaimed, "Only after we drove in a circle for the last ten minutes. You couldn't have glanced at a map of this place before we left?"

"Hey, I'm the one who suggested we stop and ask for directions. You're the one who refused. What's your method when driving, Morgan? Do you just wing it or are you using The Force?"

Despite the elegant street name, the area was far from pleasing. As far as the eye could see were abandoned homes and condemned buildings. It was like a ghost town; not a soul in sight.

"I think that's the school up there," Morgan said, indicating the largest building on the next block. Indeed, it was a run down structure with flaking orange bricks and boarded up windows. Faded letters stood over the door, at one time probably saying "Jefferson Avenue Middle School". The place couldn't have been used in quite some time, at least two decades. A large drive way lead around to the back of the building, leading to abandoned playing fields and back entrances, unseen to the those on the street.

Morgan pulled down the block. It was good thinking. If anyone was hiding out in that building, the SUV would be out of sight. With the element of surprise, the three got out of the car, both men donning their gun vests.

"Stay here," Reid said to Riley, who had already climbed out of the car. "I'll call you to meet us if we need you."

"Not a chance," Riley exclaimed. "I'm here, you have extra vests, I'm going with you."

"Riley," Reid said, stepping closer to her. His hands settled on her arms, as if holding her steady, standing close to her in an intimate way. "You're not trained for something like this. You can't carry a gun and we can't protect if the situation becomes intense."

"Spencer," Riley urged. "I know the risks, I'll be fine."

"You don't know that, you've already been through enough." Reid inhaled, speaking under his breath. "We shouldn't have let you come in the first place."

Riley shook his hold off of her. Her expression one of loathing, her eyes narrowed into slits; obviously offended by the lack of faith he had in her. "Give me a damn vest."

Morgan grabbed her one and helped her slip it on, Reid to the side, just watching. Once she was set, the trio set forth. Both Reid and Morgan checking the assurance their weapons were at the ready.

The lot on which the school sat was just as empty as the rest of the street. Nothing, just silence. The only signs of life came from both the amount of trash and debris left abandoned around the overgrown grass on the property and the clan of rats scurrying around the overgrown trash. Reid had to give Riley credit, she didn't even flinch when two rats ran directly over her sneakers. He rarely saw her in sneakers, and for a second, his mind drifted as he thought she looked cute.

Schools this small hadn't been in function since the 70s, Reid knew. This was certainly an ideal place for hiding out. Minimal light, hidden from view of the street, abandoned structures lining the entire block and the ones surrounding. It was amazing the cops had even spotted it in the first place. Hopefully, the unsub hadn't noticed the police spotting him pull into this place.

Behind the school a distance stood a large old maintenance shed. The doors were solid, closed with a sturdy chain and padlock. A quick look around revealed no one was about, nor were a sign of any car.

"Well," Morgan said, handling the padlock a moment. "No chance of breaking that by accident."

"There's a window over here," Reid said. His fingers grabbed the ledge, attempting to pull himself up, but no luck. "If someone could get up there we could see."

"Yeah, someone smaller… who could easily be lifted and maneuvered." Morgan agreed, his attention shifting to Riley.

Realizing his plan, she backed away slightly. "Why me?"

"You're the one who wanted to come along." Morgan pointed out.

Riley rolled her eyes, "Yeah, in case my expertise was required, and I don't remember at one point my résumé ever reading 'trespassing' under special skills."

"He has a point," Reid said. "You could have just stayed in the car… like I asked."

She glared at him again, but could find no further argument. "Fine, lift me up."

Instead of Reid helping her, as she had expected, he stepped aside to give them room. An indicator he'd had no intention of aiding her. The unsubtle hint was not lost on Riley, but she chose to ignore it. Pulling her own self up with an injured hand was impossible. Morgan moved over into position, placing his hands on her waist and lifted her up.

Reid watched them. Hating himself, he felt a burning stab of jealousy strike him. It began just below his sternum and seethed up surrounding his heart. His lungs felt like they were filling up with concrete, making each breath difficult, gasping to pull in air.

"You see anything?" Morgan asked. Reid tried taking a deep breath to calm himself.

"I think… it's dark, but… that could definitely be the car. I can't see… I can't angle right to see the license plate. Put me down."

Morgan did as she asked and set her down easily. Reid exhaled, allowing the resentment to seep away. At least the others didn't notice his emotional predicament.

"Unfortunately, if we can't prove it's the car, we don't have probable cause to get inside the school, and in order to get probable cause, we have to prove evidence and that's the only evidence we have." Morgan explained.

"It's Schrödinger's Cat," Reid said.

Both Morgan and Riley stared at him. "It's the experiment placing a cat in a steel chamber with a vial of radioactive liquid that at some point breaks of its own accord. Until the box is open, the cat is considered both dead and alive-"

"Yeah, I know what it is." Riley snapped, trying to stay on subject. "Most people say Catch-22, though. For future reference. Anyway, I'm thinking of something… turn around."

"What for?" Morgan asked.

"Just do it, turn around, both of you, and face the school." She was completely serious. Reid and Morgan, confused, did as requested. Their focus remained on the pathetic structure, hearing the distinct sound of glass breaking behind them, pulling them back at the shed. The dirty window now stood in shatters.

"You do understand probable cause?" Morgan said, Reid's mouth gapping at what she'd done. "We can't break a window in order to get in."

"You boys can't… but I could," Riley explained. "Well, think about it. You guys are agents, I'm not. I'm only associated with the FBI. You didn't actually see me break in… we're in the clear. Now, help me climb up."

Morgan moved to lift her up again. Reid watched as Riley brushed off her hand, distracted by something in her palm.

"What is it?" he asked, stepping forward. He took her hand to see, her palm covered in the dust and remnants of the object she'd just thrown.

"Doesn't that look familiar?" Riley asked, pulling a small brown flake off her skin.

Reid recognized it immediately. It matched the flakes pulled off of Riley's face for evidence. "Where'd you get that?"

"The bricks," she indicated. Loose orange, decaying bricks lay all through the grass, matching the same ones constructing the school behind them. "I used one to break the window."

Reid's fingers tenderly brushed the orange powder off her hand, his attention on centered on the dusty skin. "Your, um… your attacker might have taken his weapon from here."

Riley nodded. "Can I have my hand back now?" A faint smile on her face.

Reid came back to life and let her go. Riley turned, preparing to climb into the recently broken window. Once again, Morgan moved to lift her up. The jealousy twisting and turning into his chest again forced Reid to rush forward. "I got this,"

Unaware, several yards away, the three were observed through a filthy basement window. Watching as Reid guided his past love into the broken glass.


	17. Page 383

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. It crossed Reid's mind only after the matter began. Here he stood, sweat from strength and nerves glistening on his brow as he attempted to help Riley through the window. Hair kept falling into his eyes, mixing with his perspiration, his hands too occupied to push it away. He took a quick glance at Morgan, who was all too happy to stand back and enjoy the scene.

"Okay, you're going to have to give me a little more leverage back there." Riley called. With an injured hand, she wasn't able to give herself much support, her elbows propped on the ledge.

Reid took a deep breath, reluctant to move his hands for a better hold. Still, time was ticking and he knew Riley wouldn't be able to wiggle inside herself. He refused to let Morgan touch her again. Why he would respond to such a Neanderthal attitude, his logical mind could not determine. It didn't occur to him that it wasn't really his mind responding to the situation.

He gathered his composure and helped her in, just enough to get her knees onto the ledge. After that, Riley had to situation in her control.

"Something tells me this isn't her first B and E," Morgan muttered to Reid as she disappeared into the dark.

They waited. The sounds of movement and shifting of items was heard. It was hard to imagine what kind of mess sat inside there. There couldn't have been much light either. "766 – PND, right?" she called.

"Yes," Reid cried. "We're in the clear."

"Can you get out of there?" Morgan asked.

There was a long pause. "Yeah, I think so," She replied. More movement, the scraping of metal across the floor, Reid suspected chair legs, and a moment later she appeared.

"You seem like you know what you're doing." Morgan pointed out.

"Hey, I was a teenager once." Riley said, struggling to pull herself through the portal. "Never thought breaking out while grounded would come in handy with the FBI, got to be honest with you."

Reid automatically stepped forward, her good hand resting on his shoulder. Allowing his instincts to kick in, he easily pulled her towards him, guiding her down. Her arms went around his neck as he held her, embracing her until she were steady, breathing in her perfume. Reid heard her wince slightly as she placed her weight on her bad ankle. Her hands gripped at his shirt, obviously in a bit more pain than she was letting on.

"Are you okay?" He asked, keeping his hold on her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she muttered into his shoulder, taking a minute before pulling away. "I'm fine."

Reid nodded, looking her over, her red sweater smudge with dirt and soot and more orange dust. She brushed herself off as they followed Morgan the short distance towards the school.

"I think we should split up," Morgan said, pulling at a loose board over one doorframe. "Reid, you and Riley check out the downstairs and the basement. Do not go off by yourselves. I'll take the upper floors, signal if you find any evidence someone is or recently had been here."

Once they managed to get inside. Morgan and Reid, guns out, pointed downward, began moving through the run down halls of the once activated middle school. Reid's mind flashed back. A year ago, walking in the cold night air through the abandoned church. His search having led him there for Riley and the man who kidnapped her. Like the church, it was littered with old beer cans, debris, spray paint and paint ball splotches stained what was left of the walls. Morgan found the doorway to the stairwell. Taking one last look at his companions, he headed upstairs, setting their plan in motion. Reid and Riley moved on.

"Remind you of anything?" Reid whispered.

Riley was close to him, like she were afraid he would turn a corner and they'd be separated, never finding their way back. He could have sworn he felt her shiver, but maybe it was just because the air was so frigidly cold in here. "Yeah," she muttered. "A little too much." They were closer to the front of the building now, where the former front office was located.

A quick check revealed they were indeed alone. Reid moved through the room, looking for evidence of recent life in the place. Looking back, he noticed Riley had frozen, looking much like a deer in the middle of the woods, listening for the arrival of a hunter.

"What is it?" Reid asked.

"Shh," she hissed, straining her ears. Nothing but silence; pure unnatural silence. Only in the situations with the most intense emotions could silence feel so anomalous.

Finally, she shook her head. "I thought I heard a car outside."

"We're pretty close to the street in here," Reid said. "It was probably just someone driving by," Reid explained, checking around, his eyes noticing a pile of rags left behind. He slipped on a glove and carefully picked up one, covered in dirt and what appeared to be a few, small smears of blood… like it was wiped from someone's hand.

"Be careful," Riley hissed rushing forward. "You don't know where that's been,"

"Sure I do," Reid said. "Someone used it. And…" he carefully pulled out an evidence bag from his pack and slipped the rag inside. He secured the object in his bag, carefully placing it so it would neither puncture anything nor become contaminated. "If I recall correctly, and we both know I am, you did stab your attacker in the arm. Maybe this is the blood from that wound. We might be able to pull DNA"

"What good will that do?" Riley asked as he stood up.

"Well, if it is the unsub's DNA on there, it'll prove he's the one that attacked you."

Riley shook her head. "That's not important."

"Yes it is. He could have killed you."

"Do you know how many people have been affected because of this guy, how many lives lost, how many families suffering? I am not more important than all of them."

Reid shrugged. "You are to me."

Riley wanted to say thank you. She wanted to smile and kiss him and hold him, but she knew she couldn't. Spencer could never know the truth, not if she wanted to protect him. Riley turned and headed towards the hall as she said, "I shouldn't be."

Reid chose not to retaliate. A professing of his undying love for her wouldn't do anyone any good right now, particularly Alex, and the clock was ticking on finding him. Quickly, Reid pursued her into the hall.

"This is eerie." Riley said as Reid caught up with her. "This is usually the part of the story when the axe murder jumps out and kills the couple in the hallway."

"I think you need to stop reading Stephen King," Reid said, checking each door knob as they headed down the hall. Everything seemed lock, which was a good sign. Anything locked indicated the unsub probably didn't use it too often.

"There's nothing wrong with Stephen King," Riley announced.

"You get too scared." Reid said.

"I do not!" She whined, looking offended.

"Oh, really? I seem to remember returning from Rockford, going to your apartment and you trying to attack me with dishwasher soap because you fell asleep reading The Dark Half."

"That had nothing to do with it!" She said as they turned a corner. The door to the basement just a few feet away. "It was after midnight and you said you and the team wouldn't be home until the next morning. And it was dark. And you're such a baby; we got all the soap out of your eyes, didn't we?"

"You read The Stand and panicked when you got the flu the next week. Every time you read Christine, you won't ride in a car for two days." Reid pointed out.

"I like Stephen King!" She exclaimed, turning towards him. Both stopped walking. They were both trying to keep from laughing, but it was futile. Reid and Riley stopped, leaning on each other as their giggles escaped.

Reid had a quick flashback. He and Riley, standing in the snow, holding each other while they laughed on the street corner. And then Riley kissed him. Quick and all but meaningless, but the first gesture into a beautiful night together.

Their laughter quieted slowly. Riley was still leaning on him, and Reid wrapped his arms around her. This was wrong; they shouldn't be enjoying themselves when a young boy was missing. But Reid wasn't thinking clearly, as was usual when this woman was so close to his person. "Your wife would object to that very strongly, Mr. Torrance. And she appears to be… somewhat stronger than we had imagined. Somewhat more resourceful. She certainly seems to have gotten the better of _you_."

"What?" Riley asked, adjusting her posture.

"Page 383 of The Shining. When Jack is talking to Grady in the pantry. It is your favorite book, isn't it?"

She smiled brightly, nodding. "Do you still have it?"

He hesitated. "I always carry it with me." He confessed. "I'd know it by heart if I had an average memory… I've read it so many times over the last seven months."

Her smile faded, and her breathing got heavier. "Why?"

_Because I miss you_. He thought. _Because when I read it, it's like you're still there._ The words formed in his mind, but he couldn't seem to get his mouth to say them.

He gathered the nerve and opened his mouth to speak. Riley held up her hand. "Shh!" She hissed for the second time. Her eyes looking down the hallway towards the double doors. "Listen,"

Reid froze, listening again. A soft, muffled sound was heard, giving the impression of a suffering cat. "What is that?" she whispered.

One hand grabbing his gun, the other slipped into Riley's hand, running towards the basement. They began a speedy journey down the stairs. The sound continued as they made it into the darkness, getting louder as they got closer.

Their eyes managed to adjust to the dark, the basement surrounding them like a horrific labyrinth. With storage and scrap and the distinct scent of mold. They stopped, trying to determine where the crying was coming from.

"Could that be Alex?" Riley whispered, leaning closer to Reid's ear as they crouched down, just in case unseen eyes had spotted them.

Reid didn't know and chose not to answer. Instead, he searched around, trying to see how best to advance on the situation. He turned back to Riley, a Kevlar vest her only form of protection. He thought of sending her in search of Morgan, but there was no guarantee there were no other suspects. The possibility of her getting hurt was too great a risk. Instead he leaned into her ear.

"You need to stay here," he whispered as low as he could. "Do not move until I call for you, stay out of sight, okay? Promise me."

She nodded. "I promise." She whispered.

Reid stood, following the sound. True to her word, Riley remained. Reid took a glance back, thankful her hiding place kept her out of sight. His gun at the ready, Reid moved towards the sound.

In the darkness, he noticed a door standing ajar. The crying was just behind it. Taking a deep breath, he crept forward, sliding it open.

"FBI," Reid called, holding his gun up. A stream of light flashed through a window on the right. Directly in front of him was darkness. A being curled in a ball lay weeping at the feet of another figure.

At least six feet tall, with his sweatshirt's hood over his head. He didn't stand up for long, stooping over the weeping figure, the obvious blade of a knife went to his throat.

"Let the boy go," Reid demanded, his gun aimed at the unsub.

"You don't understand," Reid strained to hear him, his voice disguised in a hoarse whisper. "I'm helping him."

"You're going to help a sick child by burying him alive?" Reid asked.

"I'm ending his suffering." The man explained. "No one cares about him enough to do that."

"Alex is not suffering," Reid explained. "He's beating his cancer, don't you know that?"

"No," the voice explained. "He won't survive. I know. I can give him peace, Dr. Reid."

Shocked, he took a step back. "How do you know who I am?"

"Riley," he whispered. "I've known Riley for some time. She's suffering… I want to end her suffering. And I will."

Reid could barely get the words out. "I'm not going to let you hurt her."

"Is that why you deserted her on the street?" Reid suspected he was smiling; he could hear it in his tone. "I watched you… you didn't see me, but I was watching you. I don't want to hurt her; I just want to take away her misery…"

He had to keep his head. "I'm going to ask you one more time. Let the boy go-"

As he finished his sentence, the sound of gun fire was heard. Two bullets rang out. Reid knew he hadn't pulled the trigger yet. He was sure… but all thought left him as an incredible force threw him back, a white hot, burning pain struck him, pulling him from reality.


	18. Breathe

Reid exhaled with difficulty as he began to regain function. He felt like a sledgehammer had been beaten repeatedly into his chest… mixed with a soothing sensation of fingers going through his hair. The pain weighed down on him and each breath felt like he had two knives sticking through his chest cavity. His eyes remained closed, letting his other senses come to before he woke up.

"Are you sure?" was the first thing he heard. It sounded like he was underwater.

"Definitely," a man answered. Sounds were beginning to clear slowly. "I speak from experience."

"But he's been out for almost a half an hour." As she spoke he absorbed the feeling of her familiar fingers stroking his hair.

"Each body takes the hit differently, and you see how skinny he is. He's breathing; he'll be fine, just relax."

"I just want to make sure he's okay," She explained.

Riley. His mind finally caught up to the moment. Reid's mouth curled into a smile. "It's nice to know you care," he mumbled.

Her hand stopped at his words, half way through his hair. "How long have you been awake?"

"Several seconds, approximately," Reid replied, opening his eyes. Riley was knelt beside him, her red sweater and vest removed. She now sat in her jeans and a black spaghetti strap top over a red bra, matching the former sweater. The sight of her, kneeling beside him like some merciful angel, made his head foggy and his heart beat quick, beating dangerously against his bruised chest. Reid took several deep breaths to adjust to his new pain, sitting up slowly.

A light switch had been found, giving the room a soft glow from a dim bare bulb. His eyes hurt as they adjusted to the light. "What happened?" He asked, taking in Riley's new attire. His eyes then drifted to the floor where Alex and the unsub had been. A dollop of blood the size of a half dollar sat on the floor. "Oh my God… "

Riley answered immediately. "I called 911 as soon as I heard the gunshot. I know you told me to stay put, but… I ran in here, you were on the ground and there was a fight… the unsub was knocking someone out. As soon as he saw me, he rushed forward with a knife and… sliced Alex's throat."

"He killed him." Reid assumed.

"No!" Riley exclaimed, taking his hand. "He's okay, Alex is okay. The cut wasn't too deep; he did it in a hurry… to create a diversion He barely nicked the jugular artery. I got my vest off and used my sweater to help clot the blood until the ambulance got here."

Reid let out a long breath, impressed and slightly amazed. He looked over, noticing Morgan was here, too, standing off to the side. "And you didn't want her to come."

"You wanted to leave her in the car," Morgan pointed out.

"Wait, though… the unsub didn't have a gun… who shot me?"

"Detective Novak," Riley explained. Confused, she continued. "Apparently, she heard the police report on the car. She was already on her way Lloyds Crew and decided to take it upon herself to come and… attempt to show up the FBI. She had snuck into the basement – I told you I had heard a car – and was searching down here when we arrived. Her aim was bad in the dark, hitting you instead. When you went down, she became alarmed and he… took her by surprise, knocked her out for a few minutes."

"Where is he?" Reid asked.

Riley hesitated. "He got away. While I was helping Alex… he got away."

…

The rest of the team had arrived. Along with them were the local and Seattle police, searching and investigating the property, and an ambulance. The EMTs were busy attending to the sick teenager, getting ready to take him to the hospital.

"Ow," Reid muttered, sitting on another gurney outside of the ambulance with his shirt and sweater vest removed. He didn't enjoy being exposed like this in the cold air. Riley had insisted on checking him over herself. Two large bruises were already forming on him.

"Just hold still," she said, her hands pressed against his skin pale skin. "I need to make sure you didn't break any ribs."

"I – Ow! Stop it!" He cried, gritting his teeth.

"Oh, it can't hurt that much." She said, trying not to laugh.

"It does – ow, you're hurting me on purpose!"

"What are you, 6?" She giggled. Her laughter rolling over her vaguely crooked teeth. "I don't think you have anything broken. Just hold still," She reached over and grabbed a stethoscope.

"I don't trust you," he muttered, watching as she adjusted the device in her ears.

"As I asked yesterday, who has the actual medical degree, Dr. Reid?" She set the device on his chest. "Take a few deep breaths for me."

He breathed easily for a moment. Riley looked up with a skeptical expression. "I know for a fact you can breathe heavier than that. A lot heavier."

Reid smiled, locking eyes with her. He breathed in deeper, a great effort with the injury. "I haven't breathed that heavy in a long time," he said, exhaling.

"Really?" she asked, her eyes went to her hands, moving over slightly. "How long?"

"I told you I wasn't seeing anyone." He explained.

"Maybe not seriously… I mean… you haven't even been on a date?" she asked, moving over to his right lung. "Breathe."

After another breath, he answered. "No. There hasn't been anyone since you." He paused a moment, as she shifted to the left side. "Why, do you care?"

"Do you want me to care?" She asked, finally looking in his eyes again.

"Do you want me to want you to care?" He smirked.

Riley removed the stethoscope, "I'm not even going to dignify that with a response." She said as she went around to listen from behind, placing it on his back.

Reid breathed again, knowing he'd won that little spat. Jealousy could be a powerful thing, he knew that from experience. Feeling the cold device on his back, he breathed deeply for her. He paused for a moment, feeling her warm hand rest on his waist. It was her injured one, wrapped in a bandage, and it was just as warm as always. He half expected her to wrap her arms around him, like she used to do, and kiss his neck from behind.

"That was… pretty quick thinking before." Reid said. "With Alex… I mean. You'd make a pretty good agent."

Her hand stroked against his flesh for a moment, sending a shiver through his stomach and up his spine. "I don't even know what happened, I just… reacted. I remember thinking… well, I guess I mean I remember forgetting… you had your vest on."

Her voice began to shake. Before Reid could reply, her hand slipped away, and Riley removed the stethoscope, setting it aside. "You're fine. You'll be sore for awhile, but you'll be fine. You can put your shirt back on."

He grabbed his shirt and pulled it on. Unaware to Reid, out of the corner of her eye, Riley watched him; buttoning his shirt with his long agile fingers. Her eyes lingered on his stomach. Five long scars, each with a series of stitch marks. Riley felt nauseous with guilt, those scars a constant reminder of what he had went through, her mind coming to a conclusion… she could have lost him today. If he hadn't been wearing that vest, or if the gun had been aimed at an unprotected part of his body…

"How is everything?" Hotch asked as he approached. It startled Riley, causing her to drop the bag of medical supplies she'd been pretending to occupy herself with, spilling some of the contents to the ground.

Hotch and Reid stared at her as she scooped down to pick it up. "Sorry," she said quickly, "Yeah… we're good here. How's Alex?"

"He's alright, but it's going to be awhile before he can talk." He explained as Riley stood back up, pushing her hair off her face. "They'll be leaving in a minute. Forensics is working over in the field right now. The school and the shed was clean, there's evidence someone's been living in there, but no evidence any victims were kept there. The field is another story."

"They found a victim?" Reid asked.

Hotch continued, "They've found two victims buried in the field. One is Addie Zachariah."

Reid and Riley both had matching expressions, their jaws dropped in shocked, giving the expression of trout out of water.

"She was buried like Maria, directly into the dirt. But, she wasn't alone in the grave. They found a coffin underneath her… the coroner identified him as the private owner of Jefferson Avenue Middle School."

"There was no note for that one." Reid stated.

"There wouldn't be," Hotch said. "He had no family, no one to report him missing." He paused a moment, taking a glance behind him, where the others were gathered. "Look, we're going to be here awhile." Hotch explained, handing a set of keys to Reid. "If you don't need to go to the hospital, why don't you guys take off, we'll handle this."

"Thanks, Hotch," Reid said as he turned and took off. He carefully took himself off the gurney, tucking in his shirt. His eyes ran along the goose pimples along Riley's arms and shoulder. "You look cold," he said.

"That's probably because I am cold." She said, smiling. "Ready?"

"Yeah," he replied. He watched Riley open her mouth, but then close it. "What?"

Riley avoided his eyes. "You're going to stay with me tonight… right?"

He had hoped she wanted him to stay, choosing to wait until she suggested it so as not to over step his boundaries. "Of course I am," Reid explained. "I just need to get a change of clothes."

They turned and started to head towards the street, leaving the commotion behind. Closer to the curb, they ran into Novak standing with Levinson. She had a large contusion forming on the side of her head. Levinson did not look happy.

"Look, I did what I thought was right. You can write me up, you can get me off this case, but I feel no remorse. I'd do it again."

"Leona, you could have gotten killed, you could have gotten four other people killed, including an abducted boy. The captain is going to throw the book at you. Plus, I have to take your statement when we get back to the station to explain why you fired your weapon. On a federal agent, no less."

"That was an accident!" She said, her eyes flashing to Riley and Reid as they approached. "He had a vest on, he's fine!"

"Oh, really, Leona?" Riley said as they approached. "So had you aimed a few inches higher and hit him in the head, would everything still be fine?"

She scowled at Riley. "I don't have to explain myself to any of you. Even you Logan, I made my decision and I'm proud of it."

"Try to explain that to his distraught mother when she sees a knife wound across her son's neck," Riley said.

"You know, Dr. Riley," Novak snapped as they started walking away. "Maybe if your boyfriend and his team would do the job they came out to do, the job their supposedly so talented at, none of this would have happened in the first place."

"You know what," Reid yelled, turning back. "You can be mad all you want, Detective. The truth of the matter is still there. The unsub got away. That boy almost died and had Dr. Parker not been on the scene, he would have. And it's all because of you."

She took a step towards him, a homicidal glint in her eye. Reid wasn't intimidated. "What are you going to do? Hit me? Big deal, you already shot me. Twice. The point is the unsub got away and Alex almost died because of you. We're not here to get you fired, we're not here to make you look bad. Get over yourself and, instead of trying to deserve your job, start doing it."

With that he turned, slipped his hand into Riley's and dragged her towards the car. He was moving a little fast for her bad ankle, but she didn't protest.

"Wow," she said once they got to the car. "Where did that come from?"

Reid didn't answer. He was angry. Not because he'd been shot. He was angry because the unsub had gotten away. Reid had seen what this man had done to victims, what he wanted to do to Alex and what he had almost done to Riley… and Reid knew the Undertaker wasn't finished with her.

A/N: Someone convinced me to post a little sooner, so I did. There are a lot of good chapters coming up, so stay tuned. I also didn't mention it before, but I did finish this story a few weeks ago, so there shouldn't be anymore long delays, and I've got a couple of chapters going in the sequel. (Yes, there's a sequel because I've got more story to tell.) Review! :)


	19. The Fight

"You okay?" Reid asked later that evening. "You seem distracted."

It was getting late. Outside had turned rainy and dark. Reid and Riley were sitting in her apartment again, on the couch eating dinner. Take out again. Reid observed her, finding her more interesting than his plate. Riley had pulled her Penguins jersey on over her jeans. Her hair was still loose, fanning around her until it settled at her hips, wearing her third pair of glasses. She sat, cross-legged, playing with her macaroni and cheese.

"Alex didn't have a number," Riley stated, never taking her eyes from the yellow mess.

"He wasn't buried." Reid stated.

"Yeah, but he already left the note. Does that mean Alex wasn't worthy of a number? Was he changing his MO and not burying Alex? Did he suddenly renounce his faith in numerology or whatever screwed up delusions he had?"

"Riley, relax. We don't need to figure this out tonight." He explained.

She finally looked up, the sparkle in her brown eyes magnified slightly by the lenses. "How can you relax? That… maniac is out there, probably after another victim!"

Reid didn't know what to say. He was strangely calm at the moment. Maybe being shot had a soothing effect on him. Or maybe it was easier to be calm when the other person was hysterical, especially when that person was irresistibly cute when she was frantic.

She tossed her swirls of cheese and noodles aside and pushed her hair away from her. "I need a haircut." She said.

"No, you don't." He said, looking her over. Frazzled made her cute, that had to be it.

She smiled, crossing her arms. "Oh, really? Am I supposed to take hairstyling advice from you?"

"You think I need a haircut?" he asked, pretending to look hurt.

She didn't answer immediately, but then shook her head. "No." Her eyes locked with his a moment. Reid could tell she was holding something back. Her mouth opened, but closed quickly. She reached over for her coffee cup.

"What?" Reid asked.

"Nothing," she replied. "I… was going to ask something, but I'd better not."

"No, go ahead… ask." He was dying to know what was spinning in her head.

Riley wouldn't look at him at first. She took a long sip of her coffee and Reid knew she was stalling. Finally, setting the mug down, she sat back. "I heard you. You spoke to the unsub."

Reid had been hoping she hadn't heard. He would never have to bring it up. He had been intending on telling the team, but he wanted to keep it from Riley. "Yeah," was all he said.

Riley hesitated a minute. After a swallow, she said, "I have to know… I know it will be awful, but I have to know what he said."

Reid thought it over, quickly and carefully. Sighing deeply, as if it were the last breath he'd ever take, he answered, "I'm not going to tell you what he said."

"Why not?" She demanded to know.

"Because it'll just upset you." He informed.

Riley was offended. "Well… I didn't exactly predict his words would inspire or comfort me. The man is a killer, everything about his very existence upsets me…" she thought for a moment. "… however… you wouldn't admit that unless what he said would affect me…" He could almost hear the click connect in her head. "And that would only happen if he talked _about_ me… What did he say?"

"I'm going to get another cup of coffee." He said, standing up.

"Not until you tell me what he said about me." She demanded, quickly standing up.

"Riley… have you ever heard the story of Pandora and the box?" He tried to make a break for the kitchen. "This is for your own good."

"Spencer," she cried, grabbing his arm. "Just tell me."

He stopped, afraid to look at her. Finally his hazel eyes turned and met hears, glowing with fear and intensity. He could spare the details of the conversation. Despite Reid's better judgment, he spoke, "Hotch was right. He's still after you."

The color drained from Riley's face. She tried not to look scared, but Reid wasn't fooled. Finally, she let out a high pitched nervous laugh. "Huh… do you think I give off some smell that only dogs and men with deranged personalities can sense?"

"It's going to be okay," Reid said, pulling her into his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder. Reid buried his nose into her hair, breathing in as deeply as he could.

"I know," she said, holding him tighter. A moment later, she pulled from him partly. Her arms remained around his neck. "I shouldn't… but I feel safe with you."

Reid stared at her lips as she spoke, wanting to feel them again. Just one more time. He imagined the familiar sensation on him, the soft and moist feel, familiar and exciting at the same time. Never failing to send electricity through each nerve in his body, and sparks firing into every synapse in his brain like fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Then he realized he wasn't imagining. No other woman in the world could affect his brain like her, especially when she was so close; when he could absorb her like this. Riley had leaned in and kissed him, cradling the back of his head.

As good as it felt, as badly as he wanted more of her, he took the responsibility and pushed her away.

"Riley," he said. "I know you're feeling vulnerable right now, but if we… I'd be taking advantage of you."

"Actually, I think I'm the one taking advantage of you." She said, leaning in to kiss him again.

Reid moved his head so she wouldn't make contact. "Why is that?" he asked. "Explain the logic to me."

Riley looked at him as if it were obvious. "Because… because… you know, because…"

"Because I'm still in love with you?" He asked.

"Well… yes," she replied.

Reid nodded, pulling from the warmth of her arms. "Well, excuse me for denying your advances, but I'm not interested in having sex with someone who doesn't care about me."

She was stunned. "That's really unfair." Riley said. "How can you say I don't care about you?"

"Should we make a list?" He asked with sarcasm.

"You know, I could accuse you of the same thing." She said. "You milk a broken heart for seven months, yet in that entire time, you don't want me in your life."

"How can you put the blame entirely on me? I wasn't the one who left, how was I supposed to know you'd still want me around? Even platonically?" He demanded to know.

"Because I knew this would happen!" Riley yelled. "You'd make me feel guilty for leaving you. I feel guilty enough."

"You know, I might say feeling guilt is your subconscious way of saying you made the wrong decision." Reid pointed out.

"Lucky you're not a psychiatrist." Riley quipped, folding her arms over her chest. "I didn't make the wrong the decision. I have moved on; I'm sorry if you feel like I've abandoned you."

"Well, I'm used to it. Believe it or not, Riley, you're not the first person to abandon me." Reid answered, "You took off just like Gideon and my father."

"_I _did it to protect you. They left because of their own problems; I left because I love you!" Riley screamed.

The gears in Reid's head came to a screeching halt. "You still love me?"

"No." She uttered, looking away. Riley felt horrified, unbelieving she'd let that out.

Reid smiled. "Yes you do, you still love me."

"Spencer, please, no. We can't do this, we can't be together!" She urged, stepping away from him.

"Oh, really, and what's your excuse this time?" He asked; the smile had faded.

"What?"

"Well, the first time you had the perfect excuse; the system was in the way."

"You were my patient!" She uttered through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, and when you almost died, the world changed for you. You saw everything differently… for a few months. Just like everyone else who almost loses their life. Some people don't know how to handle it and fall into despair, like I did. Some people wake up and try to find what makes them happy, like you did. But time passed and you got scared and took the first opportunity to run."

"I seem to remember you saying it was my decision. You would support anything that I chose, and I chose to leave. You didn't object, not even once."

"Would you have stayed if I had?" he asked.

Silence. Riley seemed to have stopped breathing. "That's what I thought." He moved past her towards the door. "Well, you got what you wanted."

She had found her voice. "Okay, Profiler, I guess you're an expert on what I want."

"You want to be miserable," Reid explained turning back around. "It's what you're used to. Anyone else in your life you let yourself care about hurt you. They let you down, and that's normal for you. You were just waiting for me to do the same thing. You want me to not love you anymore so you can keep on being alone in your despair."

With that he whipped open the front door. Reid rushed through it, not bothering to grab his coat, and slammed it behind her. It made an ear splitting, satisfying sound.

But Riley wasn't done. She wrenched the door open running into the hall, screaming at him, not worrying about the other tenants. Her tears remaining dammed in her eyes no longer. "Why the hell would I want to be miserable?"

He turned back to her. Reid hated to make her cry. These words, however, needed to be said and she needed to hear them.

"Because it's easier. It hurts to be alone, it hurts to be lonely, but it hurts a lot worse being betrayed by someone you thought loved you. I know that better than you do. I was ready to spend the rest of my life with you. We would have been… so happy-"

"Don't!" she yelled. "For someone who's supposed to be so abnormally smart, you should know better than to believe in happily ever after. We don't get a fairy tale ending just because we want it badly enough! I'm not about to wreck both our lives to try and fail. It's just not worth it!"

It was less painful being shot. Once again, Reid conceded to Riley's words. He had had enough. "I can't believe I thought I ever loved you." He said softly. "How could I have been stupid enough to fall in love with someone like you? You are a cold, soulless, narcissistic shell of a woman. You have no friends, no one who cares about you, and you are making it easier to hate you every day."

He didn't rush. Reid turned and, slowly and casually, walked down the hall. Riley stood frozen, catatonic and silent as he slipped away from her. Everything inside of Riley was screaming for her to go after him. Tell him to stay, beg him to forgive her, confess how much she loved him. But Spencer Reid meant more to her than anything in the known universe, his life was more important than her own. Letting him go had hurt worse than anything she could imagine… and she had to do it again.


	20. A Breakthrough

Everything after that felt like a cross between a dream and an alcohol induced delusion. Her legs felt like marshmallow and her head felt like lead. Somehow, after some amount of time, autopilot kicked in and Riley managed to carry herself inside and straight to bed. Her hands reached up and brushed the remaining tears out from under her glasses. No new ones escaped. It was like she'd gone dry. Maybe she felt she didn't deserve to cry… being the one who'd broken his heart. Again.

She collapsed on her bed, not bothering to change her clothes or even get under the covers. She lingered close to the side Reid slept on last night. It smelled like him. She buried her face into his pillow and took a deep inhale.

The threat that someone was out there stalking her didn't bother her. She regretted how it had come about, but Riley knew this was for the best. She hated to lose her friend though, but maybe it was the price she had to pay to spare him. Spencer was too good a person to end up with a pessimistic, emotionally distant woman who would end up ruining his life. He would wind up leaving her, or worse… remain. Like her father did. He'd wind up hating her. And Spencer was already a recovering addict; he could slip back into drugs and destroy his career. Sooner or later, he would see this was for the best. He'd find someone else, someone beautiful and smart and happy and deserving of him.

Riley sat up, panicked. She looked around; the light in the room had changed. Glancing at the clock, it was almost seven. She had drifted to sleep in her thoughts. Now she felt groggy, like she hadn't slept at all. Quickly, she got up and got ready to leave, anxious and scared about what today would bring.

In her usual work attire this morning; Riley left deciding she'd catch a cab on corner. The threat of a stalker didn't stop her. She was disappointed after coming outside, finding no one out there. She was alone.

…

"There didn't seem to be any new victims last night," JJ reported once the majority of the team was assembled that morning. Each one taking notice Novak was absent, as was predicted.

"It could be awhile before he strikes again," Emily said, stirring her coffee around slowly. "We discovered his hideout; it could be some time before he gets back on his feet."

"We don't even know if he's going to stay in Seattle now," Morgan added. "And if he leaves… that's it for this case. It goes cold and he strikes another city. He could discards the notes, the numbers… it could be years before we hear from him again, if ever."

"I don't think so," Reid said. "He's still here, and he's not going anywhere. His work isn't finished yet."

His words took everyone by surprised, all staring intently at him. "Okay," Morgan said skeptically. "How many victims does he have to capture before his work is finished, Reid?"

That he didn't have an answer to. He could only think of one in particular. "I spoke to him yesterday. He made it sound like… he was killing out of compassion. He had said he wanted to end their suffering."

Emily spoke up; she'd had an epiphany. "These are mercy killings. He chooses his victims based on a problem."

"Which is further evidence he stalks his victims for awhile." Morgan added.

"How does he find out about these people, though?" JJ wondered. "Reid, you said Maria was pregnant. Alex has cancer… what about the others?"

Reid glanced at Riley. They hadn't said a word to each other, both avoiding eye contact until now. He wondered what the unsub saw in her that attracted him. Better yet, if she'd been so busy with work, when would he have the chance to meet her? "Riley was one of the victims. Maybe we should try to connect things about her that she has in common with the others."

As Reid spoke, the door opened. Hotch and Rossi had joined them in the conference room. "It could be days, though, before we can speak to Alex." JJ recognized.

"Actually, it won't," Hotch interrupted. "I just spoke to Patricia Beck on the phone. Alex is at Seattle Mercy; Mrs. Beck has granted us permission to speak to her son."

"He's talking?" Reid asked.

"Only through a dry erase board." Hotch explained. "Reid, Riley, head on over there and call us if you learn anything."

"Hotch, I'd rather just… stay here and work on the case." Riley said. She took a glance at Reid, trying to read how it affected him. "I don't feel well."

Hotch wouldn't be swayed. "Then you should have done that yesterday. She agreed to let us speak to Alex, but she demanded to meet the two people who saved his life."

Riley looked to Reid. He didn't seem too pleased of having to go with her again. Wasting no time, he stood up, "Let's go," he muttered as he grabbed his jacket. Riley followed suit, trying to keep up with him.

…

It was like a game of chicken. Neither Reid nor Riley wanted to be the first to speak and show weakness. Reid felt wounded. No, he hadn't meant what he said; he had only expressed those things to hurt her. It was frustrating. He sensed she still loved him, but had some twisted notion that she was protecting him. From what? Not being together was destroying him, and things were only going to get worse when he returned to Quantico.

Riley was distorted with guilt. She wanted to apologize and beg him to forgive her, but she couldn't let him get the idea she'd changed her mind. The silence and tension between them was thick and uncomfortable, like steam in a bathroom on a very humid day.

At the hospital, they made it to the nurses' station. Reid asked about Alex's room. He had been placed a few floors up, on the cancer treatment unit. Though he'd been through a trauma, he still needed special care.

Down the hall, Reid and Riley waited for the elevator. Each one taking quick glances at the other; never at the same time, each assuming the other didn't care.

"You look tired," Riley finally voiced.

Reid didn't answer at first. Riley suspected he was giving her the silent treatment for a moment. "I was up all night." He explained.

"Oh," Riley said, pressing the UP button another time. "How come?"

Again, a long pause. "If I had gone to sleep, someone could have gotten in."

His words were puzzling, taking her a moment to understand. "You… you were outside my building all night?"

His eyes remained on the steal doors. "All night."

"Why?" she asked.

"Did you really think I would leave?" Reid finally looked to her. "I promised I'd protect you."

Speechless for several seconds, Riley managed to force the lump forming in her throat down a bit. "Thank you," she muttered. "I guess you don't hate me after all."

"No, I don't," Reid snapped. "Believe me, though, I'm trying. I'll get the hang of it eventually."

Riley knew she deserved that, but it didn't hurt any less. She gently brushed his shoulder. "Spencer… I'm sorry."

"Don't," Reid said softly, shrugging away her gesture. "Don't do that. Don't say that, don't do that."

She carefully took her hand away, hiding the pain from his refusal. The doors slid open, empty inside. Reid and Riley both stepped in. As the doors slid closed, secluding them, Riley continued. "I know you don't see it now, but… no matter what we feel for each other, eventually things will change. We're better off where we are. You'll go back to Quantico and I'll stay here and… in the long run, we'll be… satisfied.

"Satisfied." Reid repeated. "Sounds like a wonderful existence."

"You doubt it now, but you'll see."

"No, Riley, you'll see," Reid said. "You think this is what you want. I'm going to leave. Time will pass… and inevitability will catch up to you. You'll realize you made a mistake. You'll come crawling back to me." They arrived, and the doors slid open. "Just don't be upset when I say 'I told you so' and walk away."

"Regardless… it's a chance I have to take." She replied.

"Excuse me…" A man said in the hall, surrounded by several other people. "Are you… getting off?"

Reid and Riley hadn't noticed the doors were open, or that they had an audience. They each muttered a sorry and pushed past them off the elevator. Neither chose to speak as they made their way down the hall.

A woman was waiting for them outside of Alex Beck's room. She was a petite lady, looking as if she hadn't slept in a few nights. Understandable. "Mrs. Beck?" Reid asked as they approached.

She came to attention at the sound of her name. Patricia Beck looked relieved and pleased to see them as they approached. "Yes," she said.

"I'm Dr. Spencer Reid, this is my… this is Dr. Riley Parker." He explained, offering his badge for proof.

"Are you the ones who saved my son?" she asked.

"Yes, well… Dr. Reid is really the one responsible." Riley explained, leaving out her involvement. Reid looked to her, a little amazed.

The technicalities didn't bother her. Immediately, she pulled Dr. Reid into a hug. "Thank you," she muttered, beginning to cry. Reid held her a moment before she pulled away, giving the exact same gesture to Riley.

Once Mrs. Beck had gathered herself, they got down to business. "If it's alright with you, Dr. Parker can speak with Alex. I'll stay out here with you."

"Alright," Mrs. Beck said.

"I promise, we won't be long," Riley said with a reassuring hand on Mrs. Beck's shoulder. Riley shared a look with Reid, lingering a bit longer than natural.

He guided her further down to a waiting area. For once, there was sunshine. It streamed through the windows, giving an almost heavenly feel to the place. Reid and Mrs. Beck took a seat. "Don't worry about Dr. Parker, she's excellent with child psychology."

Mrs. Beck nodded. "I can't thank you both enough. You have no idea… for months, you feel like your child is being taken from you. Then… someone just rips him away."

"I'm very sorry for what you've been through," Reid said. "At least he's okay now."

"Thanks to you," she said, giving a smile. "Do you have children, Dr. Reid?"

"No," Reid admitted, and before he could stop himself, "Not yet."

"Oh," she said smiling a bit brighter. "I see. I didn't think they let couples work together in the FBI, but-"

Reid interrupted. "Dr. Parker… and I… we're not…"

"Oh, I'm sorry," She cried. "I just assumed… they way you looked at each other…"

"Let's get back on subject, Mrs. Beck," Reid urged. "We're running out of time to catch your son's abductor, and… we have suspicions he may be after… another woman." He cleared his throat, hoping he didn't give anything away. "We're trying to see if Alex has anything in common with the other victims. Did he know of a girl named Addie Zachariah?"

"No," she said almost immediately. "I know, you think all kids keep things from their parents, but… it's just me and my son. And… well, if anything good came out of his cancer, it's brought us closer together. If he knew someone by that name, he would have brought her up at some point."

"What about Maria Engles?"

"Maria… Engles…" The words seemed to roll over her tongue slowly. "Where do I know that name?"

"She was on the news a few days ago. Another… victim of the Undertaker." Regardless of whether Alex knew her or not, it was dismissed if she'd been all over the news.

"Oh… I see…" she still seemed confused, thinking. "…no, I don't think I've heard of her. I could be wrong, though… I'd have to think about it."

"Okay," Reid said. "What about some activities that Alex does? Any strange or different people he comes in contact with? Maybe a neighbor or maybe a doctor?"

"No," Mrs. Beck admitted quickly. "No one that sticks out in my mind."

"Okay," Reid said, "Just one more question. The note the unsub left you-"

"Unsub?"

"Sorry, it stands for Unknown Subject. We prefer it over the Undertaker. Um, the note… there was… no number included with it? In the lower corner, perhaps?"

"No," she said. "I remember that note. For the rest of my life, I will remember that note, and there wasn't any number."

Reid nodded, getting a sudden idea. "Alex is on the basketball team. What's his team number?"

"12," she replied.

It sent Reid's mind to work. 12 was also Addie's number. Addie had been buried in the field at the school. Alex could possibly have been the third body in that field. The number wasn't a label, it was a clue to their location. The unsub didn't feel the need to state Alex's number. But the other victims hadn't been connected to their numbers. Or had they…

"Thank you," Reid said, handing her a card. "If you think of anything else, any connection your son or even yourself may have to the victims or if you notice anything suspicious… please, let us know immediately."

"I will," She said, placing the card into her purse. "And… thank you so much for saving my son."

Reid nodded. "It's our pleasure… but Dr. Parker deserves the credit. If she hadn't been there…"

Mrs. Beck nodded, hugging him again. "Thank you, to both of you."

She released him and headed down the hall, back to her son's room. Just as she reached it, the door opened and Riley emerged. Reid couldn't tell if their conversation had been successful.

"Anything?" Reid asked.

"Not much," Riley admitted. "He hasn't met or come in contact with anyone taking a special interest in him. He's never been approached by anyone strange… he's been so sick until recently, he's never even gone anywhere without his mother. Most of his time has spent at home and in this hospital. Walking home the other night was his first chance of freedom in about a year."

"So however he met the unsub, his mother knew him, too." Reid decided.

"Exactly," Riley continued. "Did you find anything?"

"She thought she recognized Maria, but since she's been on the news so much, we can't really assume they knew her. I did figure out something about the numbers; somehow, the unsub picks the numbers based on the victims, then somehow matches the number to a location and that signifies where to bury them."

"But the numbers can't be random. How does he pick them?" Riley wondered.

Reid shook his head. "I'm still working on that one."

A/N: Any opinions on the new girl, Ashley Seaver? She's damaged, I like her.


	21. Headaches

JJ returned to the conference room, a fresh cup of coffee in hand. She approached Reid, busy at work with a dry erase marker in hand. The scribbling and equating all over seemed to make perfect sense to him. All it did to JJ was make her head hurt.

"Anything?" she asked as she handed him the cup. Reid took it, taking a sip as he continued to examine his progress.

"Not much," he replied. He'd written down the name of each of the victims, their numbers written beside it. Even the owner of the school was there, and Reid had assumed his number was also twelve. "I'm thinking he's using some kind of numerology. Unfortunately, there are… numerous forms of that religion. Pardon the pun."

"Numerology." JJ repeated. "I thought only teenaged girls and Wiccans followed that."

"Actually, Wicca is more associated with nature and astrology." Reid explained. "In a weird way, almost everyone follows numerology."

"How do you figure?" JJ asked.

"We base our lives completely on numbers. Friday the 13th is a bad day, 7 is supposed to be lucky, 666 is associated with the devil. Different cultures and different countries have their own meanings. For instance, Christians associate the end of the world with 3s. Japan rarely sells things in 4s. The possibilities and combinations are endless."

"So it might take awhile to figure this out." She realized.

"If," Reid admitted. "Considering how intelligent and deluded our unsub is, he could be using a form that he invented himself. If that's the case… we might never find the other victims." He wasn't giving up hope, yet. Reid continued figuring the numbers, trying to determine if anything made sense. When a few numbers connected, the others wouldn't fit. It was frustrating, but he pushed on.

Meanwhile, out in the squad room, the rest of the team discussed what they knew. The trail was going cold. The more time wasted the farther away he got.

If they didn't find him, Riley knew the Undertaker could still be watching her. Once he realized the heat was off him, he could come out of the woodwork and take her. Yet she was more concerned about letting Spencer go than catching the man planning on killing her. Now she began to understand why the FBI discouraged bureau romances, and zero tolerance on dating agents working together. It was too distracting.

After another pointless look through the case files, Hotch received an important phone call. The others decided to take a break. Rossi stepped out to stretch his legs, Morgan and Emily went for coffee. Riley sat back in her chair, noticing Reid and JJ working alone in the next room. She debated whether or not to go in there. On the one hand, maybe it would be better for everyone involved if she and Reid just left things where they were. On the other, she didn't like the way Reid was acting with JJ. They were friends, and Reid had complete trust and care for her. Riley was jealous; she wanted that with him again. It was completely ridiculous and irrational to feel this way. Of course, if love were rational, it wouldn't turn everyone into such fools.

Before anyone could return and want to get back to work, Riley made her way to the conference room. JJ was pleased to see her. Reid continued working, unaware they had a visitor until JJ greeted her, "Hey, Riley."

Pausing for a moment, Reid's hand stopped writing. He didn't turn around, gathering himself. Not saying a word, he continued working at another hopeless calculation. Riley waited a moment for him to acknowledge her, despondent when he didn't.

"Any luck on the numbers?" Riley asked.

JJ shook her head. "Any luck out there?"

"Nothing. His victims can't be random, but they don't appear to have anything in common." She said, sitting on the edge of the table. "The big mystery is why he chose to bury Maria and Addie the way he did. Everyone else had a coffin… I wish we could know if Alex would have had a coffin, or…" She cut herself off before she could say "me". "Everyone's on a break, you guys should take one, too."

"No thanks," Reid muttered. "I'd rather work on this."

JJ had a sudden idea. "You know, I haven't talked to Will since yesterday, I think I'm going to call home. Riley, you don't mind helping Reid, do you?"

Before either could object, JJ left. Riley thought about slipping out, but couldn't get her legs to connect with her mind. Instead, she watched as he distracted himself with his work. Maybe it was because she was a nerd or maybe it was because she loved him so much, but something about Spencer was so sexy to her when he was being outlandishly smart. He could rattle on for hours on useless information, knowledge that only mattered to him and he kept her attention the entire time. It was the passion and revelry he took in it that enchanted her.

Riley decided to speak up. "That looks complicated."

"It's not, really, if you understand basic Calculus." he replied. "I've been using forms from the Pythagorean system in numerology, but no breakthroughs yet."

He was at least being civil to her. But Riley's mentally debilitated mind couldn't seem to leave well enough alone. If she could, she probably wouldn't have come in at all. "How's your chest?"

"You mean besides my broken heart?" Reid cracked, "It's fine, thanks for asking."

A deep breath; she didn't really know what to say. 'I'm sorry' just seemed a redundant cliché. "I feel awful, Spencer."

He turned to her, speaking sarcastically, "Oh, thank you for telling me. I've been so worried about how you felt about breaking up with me." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "If there's anything I can do to ease _your_ pain, please let me know."

He let his hand rest on her a moment, both trying to ignore the electricity it generated. He pulled his hand away and went back to the board.

He tried to distract himself with working, wishing Riley would just leave. Instead, she moved closer, brushing his shoulder. He didn't brush her away this time, but his hand stopped moving across the board.

"I didn't… I didn't mean to hurt you, Spencer." She said. "Sometimes… things can slip out when you're trying to get a point across."

"And what point is that?" Reid asked.

_That I'm too emotionally damaged to make you happy_. "I told you. I care about you… but… it's not enough. You need to get over me."

"Then why did you kiss me?" He asked.

"I was… caught up. I was scared and… I felt safe with you. My instincts took control, I shouldn't have done it, I'm sorry." She continued stroking his shoulder. "I know I keep saying that. I want us to move past this, I want us to be friends again."

"I don't think so," Reid said, looking at her. "We're adults. I can be impartial during this case, I can work with you. But… that's it." He paused, trying to keep his voice calm. "I shouldn't have let you go, Riley. I should have begged you to stay."

"It wouldn't have made a difference, I still would have left." She explained.

"I thought so, but I still should have tried." He replied. "Saying goodbye was the hardest thing I ever had to do… I can't do it again. Being friends is just agony. I can't be your friend when I want you so much. If we have to work together, I can be professional, but otherwise don't come near me."

She wanted to cry. Nodding, she backed away. This was what she wanted. She had no right to be upset. "Okay," she said. She turned to leave.

Before she reached the door, Rossi walked in. "Anything going on in here?" he asked.

"No," Reid exclaimed. "I was just… explaining something to Riley."

His eyes went from Riley to Reid and back again. "Anything wrong?" he asked Riley.

"No, sir," she said. "I'm just tired."

He nodded slowly, disbelieving. "Any luck with the numbers?"

"Not yet," Reid said, "I have a… few more ideas."

"Did you find some new information pulled from the victims?" He asked to Riley.

She didn't have anything to say. She hadn't gotten back to work since the rest went on break. "Riley offered to help me when JJ went to call home."

"Okay, then." He replied. "You guys keep working, then. Let us know if you find anything." Both men noticed Riley rubbing her uninjured temple, her eyes scrunched in pain. "Don't hesitate to take a break."

"Thanks, Rossi," Reid said as he left, leaving them alone. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she replied, opening her eyes. "Headache. You… you didn't have to cover for me like that."

"Just trying to help." He muttered, turning back to the board.

"Thank you, though." She continued. She hesitated. "Can I… help?"

"Headaches," He said, turning around.

"What?" she asked.

"Your headaches. You've been getting them since you moved to Seattle, right?"

"Right," she answered. "But there's nothing… I can do for them."

"But they were severe enough you needed to go to the doctor. That's it. We need to pull the records on the other victims."

"Why?" she wondered.

"The other victims had to have something that sent them to the hospital. Something so serious, the unsub thought they were too sick to lead a normal life. The unsub found out about your headaches and… since they couldn't do anything for them…"

"But Maria wasn't sick, she was having a baby."

"Yeah, a baby out of wedlock. She had no money and no career. Her mother wasn't happy to have another kid to take care of. The unsub knew her life was spinning out of control, he thought a mercy killing would solve that."

"Murdering her instead of adoption or abortion?"

"He's not exactly sane, Riley." Reid explained. "Come on."

He grabbed her hand and dragged her out into the squad room. Riley hated how much she loved the feel; the warmth of his fingers between hers. Hotch was in mid discussion with the others. "Guys, we have an idea."

"It's too late, Reid," Morgan said.

"What?" He asked, dropping Riley's hand. She was too surprised to notice.

"We're going home, Reid," Hotch explained. "I just got off the phone with Strauss."

Reid practically cringed at the sound of that name. No good ever came from that woman. "What did she want?"

"She wants us back in Quantico," He explained. "Three murders have been reported in Bethesda. She said it takes precedence over this case."

"Three murders take precedence over all of these?" Riley asked. "These victims aren't just random people are they?"

"Let's just say there are… several politicians in Washington who are upset about this." Hotch said.

"Hotch, we can't just let this go!" Reid exclaimed.

"We have to concede, Reid. There's nothing to justify this case over Bethesda. The police have the profile, they know who to look for. It's over. We're back on the plane to Quantico in the morning."

Reid wasn't giving up. "We have a lead, Hotch. It's not over."

"It is for us. The police can handle it now. We leave first thing in the morning. Take Riley home; we're done."


	22. Dirt, Gasoline, and Blood

"Damnit!" Reid yelled as he slammed the car door. Riley was a little startled. She rarely heard him swear. He gripped the steering wheel, his eyes ablaze with intensity. "I can't believe this… just… god damnit!"

He slammed his hand into the steering wheel. His other hand went through his hair. He took several deep breaths; Riley waited until he calmed down before speaking. "It's okay, Spencer."

"No, Riley, it's not okay. How can this be okay? We're finally close on this and we have to quit because of politics! This guy is going to get away, he'll kill other people, he could kill…"

Riley pretended she didn't know where his unfinished thought was headed. She had an idea. "Maybe it's not over."

"Yes, it is. I have to leave in the morning."

"You're not leaving _until_ the morning." She corrected. "I'm not saying we can solve it tonight, but we can at least follow up on the lead, and then I can… I can pass on what we found to Levinson."

Sensing he wasn't convinced, Riley continued, "You know the case files. We know what to look for. If we work all night, we might find something."

Reid suddenly looked at her like she was crazy. Maybe it was a dumb idea, but Riley wasn't ready to give up either. And it wasn't the thought of her life in danger that pushed her to speak up. Reid clutched the keys, thinking it over, "If we do that… I'll be exhausted in the morning."

"Is that a no?" She despondently asked.

Reid started the car; with a conceding shrug, "I can sleep on the plane."

…

3 hours ahead, Garcia was getting ready to call it a day. She was bidding her time with a Tetris game with plans to meet Kevin for dinner in a half an hour. It was a shame the Seattle case would go unsolved, but at least her babies would be back tomorrow. Not to mention, she was dying to know the gossip between Reid and Riley. A ten minute conversation didn't reveal anything juicy, but she could still sense more than just a lingering attraction between them. Garcia didn't have to be in the same room to see that, let alone a profiler.

There was only five more minutes until she was off the clock. She began to prepare to head out. Clicking out of open windows and shutting down the screens, her peripheral vision caught a flashing off to her left side. Garcia turned, amazed. CODIS had gotten a hit off the blood from Riley's jacket.

The case was over for the BAU, but Garcia was sure the Seattle police could use the help. She clicked to see. It was only a partial match. She scrolled over the page, reading the results.

"Oh… my God," she muttered. Her hand reached in search for her headset. Once she had found it, her fingers dialed while her other hand slipped it on.

Morgan wasn't answering. How they could that be? Hanging up, she tried JJ. Someone would pick up… eventually.

…

"Do you even know where we're going?" Riley asked as he pulled onto the interstate.

"Your office," He said. "We need your computer and we need Garcia."

"What are you… what's your thinking?" She wondered.

"We need the medical records of the other victims. Garcia will need to track those down for us. We can't do anything until we get those, but we can continue working on the numbers until then."

"But your work is all over the white board back at the precinct, how do you know which methods you've already used and I just realized that's a stupid question." She shook her head, letting out a laugh of embarrassment. She looked around, noticing the exit they were pulling on. "I never told you where my office is, Spencer."

"I know," he answered. "I knew the address; I pointed it out on a map of downtown Seattle. I know where it is."

"Mm," She muttered. "Some people would call that stalking."

"It's not really stalking if I did it before you left." Reid explained.

Riley nodded. "I guess you're right." Smiling at him, she noticed he looked just a pleased as she did. She didn't want to ruin this, but her mouth spoke before she could stop. "I'm going to miss this."

"What?" he asked.

Her smile paled slightly, feeling tears forming. "This."

Reid understood. Riley expected him to get angry again, but he kept calm. To her shock, he reached over and took her hand. "I am, too. But if I can't have you… I can't be your friend either." He paused. "It may be selfish, but… I can't be just a companion, helping you with your life and your problems when I can't even be apart of it. Imagine the day you call me and tell me… you've met someone. And you're crazy about him, and you're sure you could never feel this way about anyone." Another pause, longer this time. Riley was at a lost for words. "I want you to find someone. I want you to feel for someone the way I feel for you. I want you to be happy… but I can't stand by the sidelines and watch it happen, especially when you know how I feel. And especially when I know no one else will love you the way I do. You'll never be as happy with someone else as you would with me."

Unexpectedly, she replied, "You're right."

Reid was shocked. Before he could reply, his phone rang, pulling away his attention. Quickly he checked it. "Garcia," he said, handing it to Riley.

She quickly answered, putting it on speaker. "Garcia?" she said. "What's wrong?"

"Where in the name of sanity is everybody!" She yelled. "I've tried Morgan, JJ, Emily, no one is answering their phone!"

"Everyone's off, Garcia," Reid explained. "They probably switched their phones off and went to eat or something."

"Okay, then, why aren't you with them?" Garcia asked. "No, wait, scratch that, my news is better. I have a partial match off the blood from Riley's coat."

"You're kidding?" Riley exclaimed, looking to Reid. "To whom?"

"Maria Engles." She said.

The only sound for several seconds was the hum of the engine. "Maria Engles, you're sure?"

"Absolutely." She explained. "The DNA is male and shares 7 out of 13 alleles with the victim. It's a direct sibling."

"Oh my God," Riley uttered. 

"That was my reaction." Garcia said.

Riley didn't notice. "I know who the killer is. I know who he is."

"Who?" Reid and Garcia asked together.

"Jimmy Engles!" She exclaimed, looking directly to Reid. "He didn't hear about me in the hospital on Monday, he knew I was there because he put me there. He said he did Maria's ultrasound himself and she was coming to meet him the night she disappeared. Remember, Rossi and Hotch told us Addie had… cysts on her ovaries, he must have done her ultrasound, too. And he must have done a few for Alex. Mrs. Beck didn't recognize Maria, she recognized the last name. It all makes sense."

It didn't necessarily mean it was him. Reid had been doing this job long enough, though, and circumstances like this were rarely a coincidence. "Garcia, do me a favor."

"What?" she asked.

"Look up the medical records for all of the Undertakers victims; find out if they had any conditions or suspicions that would require an ultrasound. Call Seattle Mercy if you have to confirm Dr. James Engles was involved with the cases. And one more thing… do not tell the rest of the team what we're doing."

There was a long silence "I could get in trouble for that." She replied slowly. "But… it's not the first time I've broken the rules. I'll call back when I know something."

"Thanks, Garcia," Reid said.

"Be careful my beauties!" she exclaimed, hanging up.

"My office, then?" Riley asked.

Reid shook his head. "The numbers can wait. We don't have any information to pull in Engles yet… but we can talk to his mother."

"You want to bother a grieving mother to inform her that her son may have killed his sister?"

"I think she might already know." Reid explained. "She wasn't concerned about finding her daughter's killer. She also said she was greatly interested in the Undertaker case. What if… what if Jimmy Engles confided in his mother what he was doing and then… after Maria got pregnant, she ordered her son to do something with her."

"Well… he claimed his mother was mentally unstable… and that's hereditary…" She looked to him. "It makes me wonder how you got to be so wonderful."

Reid was glad the car was dark, feeling himself blush. "So I'm right, huh?"

"Excuse me?"

"You said I was right? Before Garcia called, you said I was right."

Riley let out an annoyed sigh. "Okay, maybe I did."

A satisfied smile crossed his face. "And how does admitting that feel?"

"Like I drank vinegar." She replied, trying not to smile herself.

Their eyes locked for a moment. Reid wasn't sure if any good could come from ripping open this wound again, but it was blood he wanted to spill. He continued watching her, trying to work up the courage to speak. Finally, he opened his mouth. "I'm not-"

Everything that happened next seemed to occur in an instant… A flash of light, a loud crash and a scream was heard and Reid's world disappeared. The next clear thing he remembered… he was still in a car, a moving car, but he wasn't driving.

His head felt split open and he opened his eyes with a painful groan. He felt sick, like he was going to vomit. There was very little light in the area. The sky outside the dirty windows was turning dark. He groaned again, trying to get up… but he could barely move. He smelled dirt and gasoline… and blood.

There was another body next to him… and it felt warm. He looked to the left; his brain taking several seconds to register the curly black hair.

The light was coming from behind them. It illuminated in Riley's brown eyes, pinpricks of light twinkling in her irises. The three stitches in her temple had been ripped out; new blood had streamed and began to clot. A new bruise had formed right above her eyebrow, just above the original one. She was breathing oddly and shivering.

His voice soft and hoarse, "What happened?"

"Shh," she said. Her wrists were bound with twine. Twine; the word sparked in Reid's mind. Riley reached her arms upward, resting them gently on the painful spot on the top of his head. Reid flinched slightly, the sleeve of her blouse absorbing the blood in an effort to help clot. "Just… try and stay awake." She whispered.

A/N: Once again, I hope you guys weren't expecting this. I love to hear your predictions, so don't hesitate! And review! :)


	23. I Love You

For several moments, all Reid wanted to do was lie there. He felt sore and tired and sick, and the car was giving him motion sickness. No, it was a truck. They were in a truck bed. The glow came from an orange cargo light. It was extremely dim, barely giving any help. Reid stared at Riley, whose attention was on his head wound; he could only imagine how bad it was. After a moment, her sparkling eyes moved down to meet his, glistening slightly.

"It doesn't look too bad," she informed, her voice low. "I imagine it hurts worse than it is."

"What happened?" he whispered again.

She swallowed, her throat seemed dry. "You don't remember?"

"Please don't make me think," he said, closing his eyes. He reached between her bound arms, leaning in to rest his aching forehead against hers. He tried to reach for her, but realized his wrists were bound, too. The twine cut into them painfully. It wouldn't be long before it drew blood, and he couldn't afford to lose much more.

"Car accident," she explained. Her fingers entangled into the ends of his hair in a loving fashion, still leaning on his wound.

"Oh yeah," Reid muttered, opening his eyes. Now he remembered. A truck had been following them since before the interstate… he was looking at Riley, not paying attention, and knew the truck was trying to pass. It slammed into them on the driver's side unexpectedly… "Are you alright?"

Riley let out a light laugh. "Not as bad as you," she said, glancing up to check the wound again. Reid took a quick glance over her. Her shoes were gone and one leg had a large gash in it. "Don't fall asleep… you might have a concussion."

"That's the least of our concerns, Riley," he defined from their surroundings. "It's Engles, isn't it?"

She nodded. "You were out cold… I…" a few tears escaped as she talked. "I thought you were dead… I kept screaming for you to wake up, but you wouldn't move…" She took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "I tried to get out… but my leg was trapped under the dashboard and… I could barely catch my breath, my side hurt so bad…" She breathed a few times. "Engles finally came over and he had a gun… I refused to do what he said…" A few more deep breaths; they sounded painful. "You let out a groan, and he threatened… ah… he threatened to kill you right then if I didn't come."

"Riley…" he moaned. "Why-"

"I thought he would let you go… I let him pull me out. He tied me up and dumped me into the back of his truck. Before I knew it… he put you in next to me…" She took another shuddering breath and flinched, "Oh God…" her eyes closed tightly as she absorbed the shot of pain, beginning to cry silently.

"You might have broken some ribs… or internal bleeding." His own tears fell with hers. "I'm sorry," he said.

"Don't be you dare be sorry," she sobbed, brushing through more of his hair. He closed his eyes, absorbing the feel.

The reality hit him. The team didn't know where they were or what they were doing. Garcia was going to call them soon enough, but by the time she realized they were missing and told the others… it would be too late.

"Don't fall asleep," she said again. Reid locked his gaze with hers. "You have a concussion, you need to stay awake."

Reid had been in situations like this before. He had cheated death and gotten away, but he and Riley wouldn't be so lucky this time. There was no point in lying or trying to ease the actuality of it, either. "Riley… you know we're going to die tonight."

She took a slow deep, painful breath and nodded. "Yeah. I know."

…

Morgan waited for his phone to turn back on. He hadn't remembered switching it off, and noticed it only when he went to call Reid. He should have been back by now, unless he and Riley decided they wanted some time to themselves. For the kid's sake, he hoped so.

He sat in the lobby, waiting for the others, listening to sounds of each ring. No answer. As he heard the automated voicemail message, JJ and Emily appeared. "Hey, Reid, I'm wondering why you're not back yet. Listen, we're going out to dinner as soon as we figure out where. Call me back and I'll let you know, and if you haven't dropped Riley off yet, you should bring her along."

He hung up; Emily took the seat next to him. "I doubt he'll call back," she said with a smile.

"Not for awhile, anyway," Morgan agreed. He pocketed his phone. "Where's Hotch and Rossi?"

"They're not coming," JJ informed. "Rossi said he's too tired and Hotch is caught up in another phone conversation with Strauss. No end in sight."

Morgan rolled his eyes. "So where are we eating?" He asked, standing up.

"Chinese?" Emily suggested. She checked her phone, switching back from silent. "I got a call from Garcia." She noticed, dialing to call her back. "You did tell her we're going home, right?"

"Yeah, right after Hotch told us, when Reid and Riley left." Morgan said.

"The call came a good half hour afterward," She said, listening to the rings, not expecting anyone to answer.

"House of Absolute Truth, how may I direct your call?" she asked.

"Hey, Garcia, it's Emily, is something wrong?" Emily asked.

"Oh, now we decide to answer our phones!" She declared, "It's very distressing when my calls go unnoticed, you guys. I don't like being out of the loop."

"Sorry, Garcia it's… been a long day. What's up?"

On the other end of the line, Garcia hesitated, trying to shift gears so quickly. "Uh… it's okay, I already told Reid about it."

"You… got a hold of Reid?" Emily asked, looking at JJ and Morgan, both listening intently.

"Yeah, it was… about an hour ago… uh, it was… just off the DNA on Riley's coat."

"You got a match?" Emily asked. She listened, and repeated Garcia's words for the others. "A partial match… to Maria? Okay, what did Reid say about that?"

"Reid?" Garcia spoke slowly, knowing she would probably have to betray him in the next sentence or so. "Why… is… his reaction a… concern?"

There was no doubt all three of them were good at their jobs. With one look, Emily gave them a good idea what was happening. Morgan reached over and took the phone. "Hey, baby girl, now you wouldn't lie to your boy, right?"

"Right," she moaned.

"What is Reid up to? Now I know you know." He said.

Garcia let out a long breath. "He's… he asked me to look up the medical records on the other victims."

"He's still working the case, isn't he?"

A long sigh. "With Riley."

Morgan shook his head. "Alright, where are they at now?"

"Okay now, that I can't help you with." She said. "Reid asked me to call as soon as I got a hold of the records, but there's no answer."

"He didn't tell you where they were going?"

"No, his only instruction was to not tell you." She admitted. "I've called ten times in the last half hour, there's no answer. His phone rings, so I know it's not off."

"Keep trying, Baby Girl. We'll call you back when we know something." He said. He listened a moment longer and hung up. "Reid and Riley decided to take it on themselves to keep working the case."

"Why am I not surprised?" Emily asked. She smiled, taking a glance at JJ. Her face was pale and grave, almost like she was about to be sick. "JJ?" she asked.

JJ was a mother; a very good mother. And mothers knew things others could never sense nor understand. Something wasn't right. She couldn't pinpoint it exactly, but a knot in her stomach told her things were not as they seemed.

"JJ!" Emily called, pulling her from her thoughts. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she said. "I just… I feel like something's wrong."

"Do you want to stay here?" Emily asked. "Morgan and I can handle this."

"Yeah, it shouldn't be hard to track them down, and I'll need a few minutes to kick Reid's ass of course. The whole thing shouldn't take more than an hour."

"No, I want to go." JJ stated. "I just… I have a bad feeling."

"About what?" Morgan asked.

"I don't know." She shrugged. "It's nothing; I get feelings like that sometimes."

They left the hotel, not bothering to tell Hotch or Rossi in an effort to keep Reid out of trouble. Still, JJ couldn't quite shake the feeling. But she was probably just over reacting. Probably.

…

A person shouldn't fall asleep if they had a concussion, but survival was not an option this time. He could have drifted off and probably be in some coma by the time they stopped. Reid wouldn't try, though. He refused to let Riley go through this alone.

The windows in the truck bed were dirty and rusty, but some light managed to shine through. It gave enough indication of how long they drove. Before long, the sun had set completely and the world was dark. After that, time slipped away from them.

"What are you thinking about?" Riley asked.

Reid smiled. "Actually… I'm thinking about my Mom."

Riley felt like crying again, but she kept her tears back for now. "Really?"

He nodded. "I… feel guilty she'll never know what happened."

The tears dripped through her lashes. "Oh, God, I'm sorry."

"There's a voice memo for her on Garcia's computer." He paused, enjoying the feel of her fingers playing with his hair. "Last year… the summer before I met you… I… got infected with anthrax."

"You never told me about that."

"I left a message for my mother in case I died. Just to make sure she heard my voice. Afterward… I told Garcia not to delete it… She was right, everything happens for a reason."

Riley looked away for a minute. "You shouldn't be this calm. You should hate me, you should be angry with me."

"Riley, I don't hate you… I've tried hating you… and I'm very bad at it. And even if I had the energy… I don't want that to waste the last hours of my life being angry with you."

"But you should be angry. I don't have anyone to leave behind. My father's dead, I haven't spoken to my mother in years. You were right; I have no friends, no family… No one is going to miss me. But you… you have people who care about you."

"They'll be fine. They'll be upset, I know, and they'll try to find us, but they will be okay. The only other person I would be concerned about… is lying here with me."

Touched by his words, Riley's arms gently slipped around Reid's neck and held him close to her. "I love you, Spencer," Riley whispered.

"You're just saying that because we're going to die." He said. He wasn't upset. Maybe it was the loss of blood, but he actually felt amused.

"No, I'm not… well," she swallowed and tried to breath. "Okay, yeah, I am, but I do mean it. I never… I never stopped loving you… I never fell out of love with you."

"Then why did you lie?" He asked.

"Because I can't make you happy. I am the most screwed up woman on the planet and I am completely unfixable. I can't let myself be intimate or vulnerable… Spencer, you would wind up miserable with me; you are such an exceptional person and I know I would ruin your life… but I guess I did that anyway."

Reid smiled, looking in her eyes. "This is not your fault…"

A moment passed. Reid leaned forward and met Riley's lips. They kissed, absorbing the last feel of tender, warm human contact. They were together. At the very least, they were together.

"I love you." She said again.

He wished he could hold her, resting his constricted hands on her hip. It was close enough. He whispered, closing his eyes, "I love you, too."


	24. Further Investigation

A/N: I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! And I am so happy at the reviews I got on this. (I'm a little scared of demonic squirrels now, though. ;)) Honestly, though. With all the stress and negativity I have to deal with every day, these stories are my escape and when I learn you guys enjoy them as much as I'd hope, it means so much to me. So here's the next part, and the sequel is going along fairly well, but I won't go into too many details on it! Review! :)

JJ waited through the rings. She had called Reid twice already since they'd gotten in the car, but no answer. This time she was leaving a message. "Hey, Reid, it's JJ. Listen… we know you're still working on the case. Well, me, Emily and Morgan know. We're trying to find you, so when you get this, just call us and we'll meet you guys. And you can let us know if you found anything. Call back as soon as you get this, okay? It's important." With that, she hung up, clutching the device a moment longer, hopelessly hoping he would call back at that moment.

Morgan drove while JJ sat in the passenger seat and Emily riding in the back. They began brainstorming where the two may have gone. They didn't know Seattle that well, so deciding their first destination was a challenge.

"What about Riley's apartment?" Emily suggested as they headed down the interstate.

"I doubt that, Prentiss," Morgan said, "They have a limited amount of time, they wouldn't waste it going over the case at her place. And even if they did, we don't know where she lives."

"True," Emily agreed. "And we're assuming they're not back at the station."

"For now, at least," JJ uttered. "Any chance they went back to the school?"

"That's a possibility." Morgan concluded. "But I can't think what they'd expect to find. We need to think like Reid."

"Ha," Emily muttered. "If we could think like Reid, Morgan, we wouldn't need Reid."

Morgan still tried to get into the mindset of a genius. "Okay, I'm Reid." He said. "I'm driving and the most important person in my life is sitting next to me."

"Garcia's going to hate me," JJ laughed, looking back at a smiling Emily. Even with their lighthearted moment, the bad premonition sat in JJ's stomach like a stone.

Morgan ignored the comment. "I've been forced to give up on the case that's putting her in danger. I'm not about to give up with her life at stake. And I only have until morning to figure it out."

"Reid's got to be desperate." Emily realized. "He said he found a lead back at the precinct. Now, the DNA had a partial match to Maria. Could that have something to do with it?"

"It can't, he didn't know about that until after we all left." Morgan explained. "He wanted the victims' medical records. What could he want with those? Is Riley sick?"

"She mentioned headaches and she hadn't been sleeping well," JJ said. The others looked at her curiously. "We had a talk the other day. She didn't mention anything about going to a doctor, but… she could have."

"Okay, that could connect her to the other victims." Morgan thought over the new found information. "Let's head over to the hospital, maybe we'll meet them there. If not, we can at least do a little investigating of our own. It might help them in the long run once we do meet up. Prentiss, you and JJ go in and find out whoever examined her. I'll call Garcia and get the information on the medical records Reid was looking for. I'm sure he had some epiphany that we're missing."

The girls agreed. They continued down the interstate, continuing to discuss what they knew. They paid little attention to the road. Under normal circumstances, they may have noticed when they drove passed a single abandoned car; an SUV that earlier had been aggressively forced off the road.

…

JJ and Emily had spoken to the front desk about Riley. After some convincing, they were directed to the emergency room to speak with the head of the neurology department.

"I can't talk to you about that," Dr. Lucas informed when the girls began questioning him. "Doctor/Patient Confidentiality."

"We understand that, sir," JJ assured, trying to appeal to him without revealing he was being manipulated. "We just need to know what kinds of tests were ordered for her."

"Doctor/Patient Confidentiality." He repeated forcefully. "Without Miss Parker's consent, I can't tell you anything."

"We're not interested in her results," Emily explained, "We just need to know who was involved with her on the day she came here."

Dr. Lucas let out a long, annoyed sigh. "Look, if I could help you, I would. The last thing I want to do is piss off the FBI. But I need Miss Parker's permission before I can tell you anything about her treatment or diagnosis. There's no proof you know her personally and even if you did, I still need a signed consent form. The last thing I need is to be sued."

"Doctor, we're involved in a time sensitive case. I'm sorry, but we really don't have time to follow protocol." Said Emily.

Dr. Lucas thought for a moment. "Alright, get her on the phone. I'll overlook written consent for now if I hear from her own mouth I can divulge it."

JJ and Emily glanced at each other. "That's… a problem, Dr. Lucas…" JJ said, "We… can't seem to get a hold of her."

"Well, then, I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do to help you." He said, picking up another patient's chart. "Now if you'll excuse me, we're kind of busy down here. They call it an emergency room for a reason."

"Wait, Doctor," Emily urged. She didn't want to keep him from patients in need, but this was their only lead right now. "Do you know of any patients of yours or other doctors who… have turned up missing?"

He thought for a moment, looking puzzled. That wasn't a very common question. "I can't say off the top of my head." He explained.

"Maybe any patients that have died recently? For reasons that weren't their initial diagnosis?" JJ added.

"You ladies don't get the confidentiality part, do you?" He asked.

"If they're dead, the agreement is invalid, isn't it, Dr. Lucas?" Emily explained.

That had him. He hesitated, then shrugged. "It's possible. People die every day. I could walk outside right now and be hit by a bus. It could take months to look over every patient, you understand, we just don't have the means to do that. And you said yourself; your case is time sensitive."

"You don't actually have to look, let me recite the names of some of the victims, see if they spark any memory." Emily said. "Jessica Donnelson. Addie Zachariah. Maria Engles. Alex Beck. David Wilhelm-"

"Wait, was that one? Engles?" He said.

"You recognize her?" JJ asked.

"The last name, Engles. There's a Dr. James Engles here at the hospital." He said plainly.

Emily looked at JJ, who was just as shocked as he. "What does he do?"

"He's a surgical intern. He mostly does ultrasounds, he's… my personal opinion is he gets too emotionally involved with his patients, he shouldn't be in surgery. You know, he's working a shift right now, I'll call him down so he can speak with you."

He stepped away to the nearby nurse's station, picking up the phone. Emily turned to speak quietly to JJ. "Wasn't the DNA a partial match to Maria?"

"He's got to be the unsub." JJ muttered. "Reid must have realized that and wanted to check the medical records to prove the other victims had diseases that required an ultrasound for diagnosis."

"You go out and tell Morgan what's going on." Emily said, "I'll take care of Engles. We'll bring him down to the station."

Before JJ could step away, Dr. Lucas rejoined them, looking both amazed and irritated. "I'm sorry," he said slowly. "It seems Dr. Engles is… missing."

"Missing?" JJ said, frightened. The horrible premonition creeping back into her veins, "Can't you page him?"

"He's not here, agents. He is not within the walls of this hospital." He clarified.

"How… how is that possible?" Emily asked.

"He started his shift this morning, and stepped out early this afternoon when he was on break. He hasn't returned yet."

Both could only imagine what Engles was planning. Emily was sporting her own bad forewarning. "Okay," Emily said trying to speak clearly, "Okay, we need to find him immediately. Have someone continue paging him. I need to speak to the interns on shift with him right now, and find out if his car is still in the parking lot."

Dr. Lucas agreed, moving quickly back to the phone. Emily looked to JJ, "You don't think… Reid and… Riley…"

"I don't know," JJ said, silently begging for her phone to ring with Reid on the other end.

…

"Alright, thanks, Baby Girl," Morgan said, hanging up the phone. The records provided little information, but maybe they would make more since when JJ and Emily returned.

He sat alone in the parked car. The lot was motionless. The other cars sat, awaiting the return of their owners. Still no word from Reid. This was getting ridiculous; he knew to check his phone regularly. Morgan planned, quite literally, on kicking his butt as soon as he met up with them. Reid could be outrageous, but Morgan loved him. That kid was the little brother he'd always wanted.

Finally, his phone rang. Morgan answered, without even checking the ID. "Well, it's about damn time, kid. I don't care what you were doing or how pleased Riley is right now, you've kept us waiting for over-"

"Morgan, it's Hotch." The voice sounded on the other end of the line. "And I take it that means you guys don't know what's happening?"

Morgan hesitated. He couldn't fathom why his boss needed to call. "No, we don't. What's wrong?"

There was a long pause. "I just got a call from Detective Levinson. He and Novak were called onto the scene of an abandoned car on the interstate. The victims in the crash are missing and there was a good amount of blood. They suspect an abduction."

"Really." Morgan said, part of him knowing what was coming before Hotch said it.

"It's an SUV, Morgan," He said. "And they found a cell phone… with several calls from JJ, Garcia… and you."

Morgan swore under his breath. "Are you sure it's their car?"

"Yes. You, Prentiss, and JJ are to meet us and the detectives there. It's along the interstate. It shouldn't be hard to find, a lot of cops are already there."

"How bad is the accident?" Morgan asked.

"Without the victims, it's just a guess. The vehicle looks totaled. The driver's side was smashed, forced off the road and the passenger's side was crushed by a tree. There's significant blood in the car, especially on the driver's head rest. They don't think it's a fatal amount-"

"-So they were alive when they were taken?"

"Right," Hotch agreed. "But whether they're alive now, we don't know."


	25. Two Sparrows in a Hurricane

Time passed slowly as they continued driving. The sky was completely black. Whether it was 8 pm or midnight, neither one knew. More importantly they didn't care. The longer they drove meant the farther away they got from the city, but it meant more time together. They didn't talk much, just absorbed the essence of each other, attempting to keep each other warm. Because they knew the truck couldn't drive forever. Eventually it would stop, and they would be pulled apart, and the unspeakable would happen.

Reid moved as close to her as he could. "How do you feel?" He asked.

"I'm tired," she murmured. "And cold. I wish we could just sleep."

"I know," he replied, wishing he could wrap her in his arms. "I doubt we have much longer." He pressed his lips against her cheek. "I want you to promise me something,"

"What?" she asked, her fingers still active on the back of his head.

"It's going to be hard for him to control both of us." He said softly. "I'm not sure… how much fight I have in me, but I don't intend on making this easy for him…" he breathed a few times. Riley savored the feel of his hot breath on her chilled skin. "If you can get away… promise me, you'll run."

"Spencer… I'm not going to leave you." She exclaimed, her voice quiet and hoarse. She couldn't believe he was suggesting this.

"Yes, you are," He corrected.

"But he'll still kill you. There's no way I can get help in time." She started crying. Reid felt the tears on his lips. "You'll die."

"But you'll live," Reid explained. "And that's all that matters to me."

Riley sniffled, shaking her head. "I won't do it. I won't leave you."

The truck began to slow down. They had a minute, maybe more, before he interrupted them. Reid's hands slipped onto her back, pulling her against him. He kept his tears locked behind his eyelids as he continued.

"Riley, if you love me, you'll do what I ask." He demanded. She wouldn't reply. He opened his eyes, looking directly into hers. "Promise me."

"Not fair," she sobbed, her eyes shinning.

"Promise me," He demanded.

A long silence. Her tears continued falling; finally she exhaled, "I promise."

He kissed her lips again. It was quick. He rested his brow to hers, hearing the sound of the door slam. A moment later, the tailgate sounded at their feet.

"Oh this is so sweet," the familiar voice belonging to Engles said, seeing them together. "Like two sparrows in a hurricane."

Neither one said anything. They could feel Engles pull himself onto the back. They stared into each others eyes, simultaneously thinking _This is it_.

A moment later, the shadowy form of Engles appeared. His first move was towards Riley. Gently, he seemed to check her over. Reid's stomach twisted with anger. He didn't like this monster putting his hands on her. "Leave her alone," He muttered, beginning to summon whatever power remained in him.

"Oh good, you're awake," Engles said, almost kindly. "I was afraid you might have lost too much blood and die before we got there."

He sounded genuinely considerate about it. Riley was still close enough to Reid, he could feel her shaking. "Why are you doing this to us?" She demanded.

Reid could barely make out his face, but to him it seemed both kind and confused. "I'm doing this _for_ you, Riley. For both of you."

"We understand," Reid said, though he knew reasoning with this man would be futile. "You did what you thought was right. But… we're not suffering."

"You're suffering without each other." He explained. "Her sickness is caused by your separation. By stress and agony. There's no stopping that. I must put her to rest so her soul will be at peace."

"Then let him go," Riley whimpered, still sobbing, "Please let him go. He doesn't know where we are, he didn't do anything. He doesn't deserve this."

"He'll suffer without you," Engles explained. "I remember that day, in the hospital, how protective he was of you. I know he'll never survive without you… so I'm putting him to rest with you. Now… you must come."

He began pulling at her, to come out of the truck. Riley resisted, struggling against him. With a quick swipe of his hand, he knocked across the face, directly over her bruise. She winced, whimpering in pain. Furious, Reid tried to sit up, "Don't you-"

Engles whipped out his gun, pointing it at her undamaged temple. "I have to do this," Engles explained. "Believe me, I am not above torturing either of you to make this happen. And I'm predicting just me torturing her would be worse than any physical damage I could do to you. So either you shut up and do what I say or you can feel your lover's brains when I put a bullet through her skull-"

"Alright," Reid cried, sitting up.

Engles smiled, lowering the gun. "This is for the best, you'll see. When it's all over and your souls are at peace. Now… get out of the truck."

Reid met Riley's eyes, sharing a gaze with her until Engles dragged her away. Mustering his strength, Reid followed. He eased his aching body off the tailgate into the night.

Riley was having trouble putting weight on her bad leg. When she tried, blood began to seep from the wound. She stumbled, falling onto her knees.

"Stand up," Engles demanded, grabbing her arm and pulling her up. The gentle man seemed to have vanished.

Reid made it over to her as she finally managed to stand. "Walk," Engles said, pointing forward with his gun. The mixture of broken clouds in the sky mixed with hundreds of stars and a full moon. The moonlight illuminated a small path before them, miles and miles of woods. They had parked some distance from the road. No one would notice the truck this deep in, and he wanted them to move further.

"Walk," Engles said louder, forcing the gun into Riley's back. She flexed away from the muzzle, beginning to move. Reid followed, walking just a step behind her, an attempt to put a shield between his love and their murderer.

…

From half a mile away, they could see the flashing lights of the police cars. Morgan, JJ, and Emily were on their way from the hospital to sight of the accident. None could believe they'd actually missed this before.

Crossing the grassy divide, they made it to the scene. Each one got out of the car, quickly spotting Detective Novak off to the side.

"You're absolutely sure it's their car?" Morgan asked, still in disbelief.

To everyone's surprise, Novak's icy attitude to the agents had dispersed. "Yeah, we're certain. We matched the license plate." she said, leading them over to the car. She shined a flashlight to the ground leading away from the car. "Drag marks, from the driver's side. We found this." She reached into her pocket, extracting a billfold.

Morgan took it from her. His anger rose to the surface as he realized, "It's Reid's badge."

"It must have fallen out when he was dragged from the car." JJ said, taking the badge delicately in her fingers.

"There are only drag marks from this side, though." Emily said, carefully walking around the crime scene. "Footprints, two sets of them… can I see your light, Detective," She asked. Novak quickly handed it over. Emily flashed the beam down. "There's blood drops around one set… and along the drag marks."

"Okay, so Reid must have been knocked unconscious from the crash." Morgan realized, reading what he could from the evidence.

"Riley must have been lucid enough to walk, but she was injured. She probably couldn't fight back."

"More likely," Morgan corrected. "He threatened to kill Reid if she didn't go. Promises he'll leave him behind or spare him if she goes. Ties her up, she's now submissive. He then goes back on his word."

"Okay, we know that Engles is not in his car," JJ said. "Another intern said Engles asked to borrow his truck."

"License plate 313 – DCT?" Novak asked.

All three were amazed. "How do you know that?" Emily asked.

Novak went to a nearby police car to fetch something. Returning, she handed them a plastic evidence bag, inside a license plate with the same serial numbers.

"Damn," Emily cried, taking the plate. "He removed it before he left the scene."

"He probably figures at this point, we already know who he is." Morgan said, keeping his anger down. "There's no point in staying under the radar."

"Okay, so, what do we do?" Novak asked. No one answered her. Each one looking lost, unsure "Come on, this is supposed to be your expertise. What should we do?"

"We don't know." Emily said, unsure.

"How can you not know? Look… I'm sorry I didn't want to listen before. But I realize, we're out of our element here, now… come on, what do we do?"

"Detective, this isn't about you or your competence." Morgan explained. "I'm pleased you're willing to help now, we need all the help we can get. Now, you have to give us a chance to find more evidence. Right now, all we know is our friends are severely injured and will probably be dead before sunrise… if they're not already."

Novak nodded, at last understanding. "I'm sorry," she said. "What do you need me to do?"

At that moment, another SUV was seen coming down the highway. It joined the chaos of cars and lights, delivering agents Rossi and Hotchner to the scene. They came over quickly, joining their team.

"What did you find?" Rossi asked.

"They're injured. Reid more than Riley," Emily explained. "Engles is driving in an unmarked, unlicensed yellow pickup truck. We have no idea where he could have gone."

"Okay, we don't have much time," Hotch stated. "Emily, you and Morgan, I want you to go and speak to Linda Engles. I don't care how late it is, she has to have some idea where her son might have gone. Detective Novak, I need you and your partner to go the hospital and look through anything connected to Engles. Locker, work area, and anything out of the ordinary that he was working on today. All of Seattle PD is on the lookout for Engles and the vehicle. Rossi and I are going to join the search. JJ, set up an immediate press conference. Tell the public to watch out for anyone matching Engles', Reid's or Riley's descriptions. Use their names, get their pictures out there."

"Sir, do you think it's a good idea? Using Engles' name?" Emily asked. "The public already knows about Maria."

"We're at desperate measures." Hotch said. "Let's move."

The group set off, each to pursue their assignments. JJ told her friends she'd get a ride back to the station with one of the officers, leaving Morgan and Emily alone. They got back in their car, heading for the home of Linda Engles."

"Morgan," Emily said as he pulled onto the road. "Do you ever get the feeling a case isn't going to end well?"

"Prentiss," he mumbled through gritted teeth, not wanting to get angry with her. Taking a deep breath, he continued. "I can't think about it. We have to focus."

Emily agreed, but she couldn't shake the feeling. They'd work these cases before… and rarely did they ever make it in time.


	26. Epiphany

A/N: Happy New Year everyone! I love New Years, simply because everyone celebrates different winter holidays, but we all celebrate New Years. Anyway, here's the next chapter. There's plenty to go in this story, so sit tight and don't forget to review.

"We are looking for a man named James Engles," JJ said a half an hour later. She stood at a podium inside the headquarters of the Seattle Police Department. "He has kidnapped two members of the FBI. Agent Dr. Spencer Reid, a profiler with the Behavioral Analysis Unit and Dr. Riley Parker, a federal psychiatrist. The two were taken from a car accident on the interstate earlier this evening by Engles and haven't been seen since."

As she spoke, a police officer showed pictures of Engles, Reid, and Riley to the cameras. JJ remained cool and composed, not letting the public see just how terrified she was for her friends. "We have discovered James Engles is responsible for the murders in the Undertaker case, including the recent kidnapping of Alex Beck, the murders of Addie Zachariah and his sister, Maria Engles. The accident in question was determined to be caused directly by Engles himself. If you have seen this man or his victims, Spencer and Riley, please contact the hotline we have set up, the number is on the bottom of your screen. Please remember, Spencer and Riley are both severely injured and in need of immediate medical attention. Thank you."

JJ stepped down from the podium, refusing to take questions. She followed the police out of the room towards the squad room.

"You know we're going to be flooded with useless tips and questions, right?" the young officer who had been holding up the pictures inquired.

"It's necessary," JJ said, trying to stay calm. "A small hint could crack this case."

"Yeah, but do you realize the man power that has to go into this? How much overtime and disgruntled employees have to work on this hotline?"

Jennifer Jareau, who was usually so reserved, snapped angrily. "I don't care, Officer. My friends are missing and are probably going to die tonight. I don't give a damn if you and your colleagues miss a couple of coffee breaks."

With that, she headed through the station at a quickening pace. Her thoughts were centered on her friends. She quickly moved to a private area where she could call Garcia, busy in Quantico, trying to track down any helpful information on James Engles.

…

"Ah," Riley cried, falling to her knees again. Reid rushed quickly, slipping his tied arms under hers and helping her up before Engles could touch her. She paused a moment, trying to adjust to the increasing pain.

"Keep moving," Engles urged, coming up behind them.

"She needs a rest," Reid said, looking back at him. The leaves of the trees gave a scattered effect of moonlight into the woods. It gave them little help, but he could at least make out the form of their captor.

"She'll be resting soon enough," Engles informed.

"It doesn't lessen the pain," Reid explained. "She's injured, we're both badly injured, and we're walking through the muddy woods, and she's in her stocking feet. I just want a few minutes for her."

"And I want you to keep moving," He said, pointing his gun at Reid's temple. This deep into the situation, he wanted him to pull the trigger. It would remove the satisfaction of getting to bury him alive. But then Riley would be alone. And Reid had the fleeting chance of a plan. A Hail Mary. It had worked once before. Reid knew he was not going to come out of this alive; Riley probably wouldn't either. But there was the ever fleeting chance of escape. She could live, and that's all that mattered to him.

Reid moved away from the gun. He tugged on Riley's shirt sleeve with what little movement he could manage in his fingers; his hands were numb from lack of flow. The skin had torn and stained the twine with his blood. "Come on," he muttered, guiding Riley to stay in front.

"How much… ah… how much further?" Riley asked. She could barely manage to catch her breath.

Engles wouldn't answer. Reid stayed close to Riley, trying to exclude Engles from any conversation. "How long do you think we've been walking?" Reid asked.

Riley shrugged, giving a light, exhausted laugh. "It feels like an entire day. A long, dark, painful, muddy day."

"It'll be over soon," Reid assured. The pain in his head had lessened a considerable amount. He was sore and exhausted, and Reid had never been a fighter, even at his strongest. But it was amazing what a man is capable of when his life is in danger… or the life of the woman he loved. "Just remember… you promised."

"I know," Riley hissed.

"What are we talking about up here?" Engles yelled, moving closer. "I'm an aficionado of good conversation."

They stopped talking immediately. Riley knew Reid was planning something… maybe he didn't have anything specific in mind, just waiting for the right opportunity. Still, Riley didn't know if she could keep her promise. Never mind the slice in her leg, the pain in her ankle, or her breathing difficulties… she couldn't leave him. She wouldn't leave him. Her glistening eyes looked to him. She could make out his face by the light of the strewn moon beams. He looked tired and sick, struggling to continue. He was planning on fighting when he could barely stand up right? And he wanted her to leave him?

"Keep moving," Engles said, prodding the muzzle of the gun against Reid. He pushed himself to continue. Engles gave them no indication how much further they had to go; all they could do was push forward.

…

There didn't seem to be anyone home. The surrounding homes had their porch lights on. Not the Engles' house. Inside, the house was dark. It was possible there was no one home. Emily rang the doorbell. They waited in silence. There was no rustle or movement inside the house. Above was littered with clouds, allowing several pockets of sky and stars to poke through.

Emily rang the bell again. "Mrs. Engles. It's Agent Prentiss with the FBI, it's urgent we speak to you."

Nothing. Morgan was getting impatient, pounding his fist on the wood. "Mrs. Engles, open the door."

"Morgan," Emily said, placing a hand on his arm.

"Don't 'Morgan' me. We're wasting time out here, time that Reid and Riley don't have. Mrs. Engles, open the door!"

A moment later, a light turned on in the living room, glowing through the curtains. The door opened a crack. The timid face of Linda Engles appeared in the frame. "What do you want?"

"We need to speak to you, Mrs. Engles, it's urgent."

"I've got nothing more to say to you, Agent Prentiss." She said. She eyed Morgan suspiciously.

"Ma'am, this is about your son, James." Emily explained.

She paused a moment, swallowing nervously. "Jimmy?" She asked. "I don't… what does he have to do with anything?"

Morgan, having nothing particular to say, let Emily continue. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Engles, this is going to be hard to hear. But… we've found your daughter's killer… and we believe it's your son, Jimmy."

To both Emily and Morgan's surprise, Mrs. Engles didn't seem too disturbed by their news. "No," she finally muttered, calmly. "You're mistaken."

She went to shut the door. Morgan quickly stepped forward, forcing his arm against the wood, preventing the object from closing. "Mrs. Engles, we're sorry for your circumstances, but you have to understand, we don't have time to waste. We need to find your son. Did you speak to him today?"

Mrs. Engles was reluctant to speak. She wanted to slam the door shut and lock the agents out, but Morgan kept his hold on the door. He was too strong to push off. "I… I don't know."

"You don't know if you spoke to your son today?" Emily was skeptical. Taking a step closer, she continued. "Mrs. Engles… you know if you're lying, we can arrest you for obstruction of justice. You can go to jail for a very long time."

"I don't know anything, Agent Prentiss." She shoved at the door, but Morgan wouldn't budge.

"Just tell us the last time you spoke to your son." Morgan said.

Closing her eyes, Mrs. Engles took a long deep breath. "This… morning. Before he went to work." She uttered. "We were discussing Maria's funeral."

Morgan was just as doubtful as Emily. She had the attitude of hiding something. He pushed the door opened a bit more, the better to see her face. "Do you know where your son is now? We need to find him."

"He's at work," She said plainly. "He's an intern at Seattle Mercy Hospital."

"No, he's not, Mrs. Engles. He left in the middle of his shift." Emily explained. If they were going to get any information out of this woman, they needed to gain her trust. Direct questions would be faster in theory, but in reality it wasted more time than attempting to appeal to the woman. "We've gotten off on the wrong foot, Mrs. Engles. Would it be possible for us to come in?"

"Absolutely not," She said, trying and failing to close the door again. "It's late and I was sleeping soundly when you showed up. It's rather rude, waking someone up like this."

"Ma'am, with all due respect, it's barely after 9 o'clock. Isn't it a little early for you to be in bed." Morgan inquired.

That only made her angry. "How dare you." She was on the defense again. "I've just lost my daughter and I'm about to lose my son, the only son I have left who will speak to me. I'm a grieving mother in depression and I have every right to be."

That didn't make sense. "Why do you think you're going to lose your son?" Emily asked. "We haven't even arrested him yet. Even if he is our unsub, he still has to go through a trial."

"Or is there something you're not telling us?" Morgan asked.

Feeling flustered, Mrs. Engles took a step away from the door. "Agents, I'd like you to leave now."

"Please, Mrs. Engles," Emily pleaded. "I know you don't want to believe your son is guilty. I'm sure… if he is responsible, I'm sure he had some justifiable reasoning for it."

"Jimmy is my angel," she sobbed as tears began to stream down her cheeks. "He's a good boy, he wouldn't hurt anyone."

Emily had a sudden epiphany. Words she'd heard the other day. _"My angel is gone forever. Do you really think finding him is going to make it better!"_ She wasn't talking about Maria…

"You already knew, didn't you?" Emily asked, amazed. "You knew Jimmy killed your daughter. That's why you didn't care about finding her killer… because if we did, you'd lose your son. Your other children resent they way you've treated them, but Jimmy… he's like you. He's mentally unstable-"

"Prentiss." Morgan said as a warning.

But Emily wasn't finished, continuing as if no one had spoken. "-and had… some mission to rid people of their suffering. It doesn't make much sense to us, but to you and Jimmy, it's the most logical course. You knew Jimmy was planning on going on the run, as soon as this mission was complete. You just didn't know how many victims he had other than Maria."

Mrs. Engles was silent. Her tears had stopped and had focused a cold, deadly glare on Emily. "You're not allowed to be here. You need to leave. I'm sorry I can't help you, but I don't know what Jimmy is doing or where he's taken them."

Morgan began to move his arm away, letting her close the door, until the words registered to him. "Mrs. Engles… we never told you Jimmy took anyone. How did you know he took more than one person?"

Frightened a moment. She regained her composure, "I saw the news report."

"You saw the news report? While you were sleeping?" Emily asked.

That had her. Mrs. Engles looked panicked a second. Stepping onto the porch, she ranted at them, her fists flying at them, screaming like some insane preacher… almost like the words of the notes had come to life. "He can end their suffering. Jimmy is doing what none of you are brave enough to do. They will become apart of the world and their souls will reach among the stars, apart of all things cosmic and beautiful-"

As she screamed, Morgan pulled out his handcuffs, securing them on the wrists of the hysterical mental woman. He lead her down to the car as Emily reached over, closing the door before joining them.


	27. The Promise

Deeper into the woods, the leaves became thicker. The light was faint. Reid could barely make Riley out anymore, but he knew she was there. Soon his eyes would adjust to the light; not soon enough, however, as Reid lost his footing, tripping into the muddy leaves.

"Spencer," Riley exclaimed, reaching down to help him.

Engles, however, had plans of his own. Grabbing Riley's arm, he tossed her aside to prevent her from aiding him. Reid heard her moan in pain as she crashed into the debris of the forest.

"Don't… touch her," Reid said, trying to stand up. Getting back on his feet was difficult.

From his coat pocket, Engles extracted a long, thin object. With it, he yanked at Reid's wrists, cutting away the twine. The release of the rope felt wonderful for several seconds, allowing blood to flow freely into his hands again.

Engles reached down, picking up the item Reid had tripped over. It struck him as he recognized it… a shovel. "Get up," Engles said strictly.

Struggling, Reid finally managed to get upright again. Riley watched him, off to the side, still laying among the leaves. Engles forced the shovel into Reid's hands, painfully tingling as they regained feeling.

"Now," he said. "Dig."

"We're supposed to bury ourselves?" Reid asked.

He wasn't sure, but Reid suspected Engles was smiling. "Not exactly. You're not going to bury yourself. I will bury you… after _you_ bury _her_."

Horrified, Reid's eyes traveled to the pathetic creature laying in the dirt, her eyes staring right back at him. Reid wanted to refuse. Engles would surely kill him if he declined, but Reid had to give Riley a chance. He couldn't do that if he were dead.

Managing to control his hands, Reid gripped the shovel and began digging. When Engles least suspected it… Reid would know what to do. He just needed to follow his instincts. He looked at Riley, lying in the dirt. Reid dug slowly, giving her time to gather her strength.

…

Linda Engles sat in the interrogation room. Her arms were folded on the table, her head resting on them. The tears had long since ceased and she was calm for the time being. Hotch and Rossi stood on the other side of the two way mirror, observing her.

This was a tricky situation. There was no way to know if Mrs. Engles knew where her son was at the moment. If they could get that information out of her, they just might get to Reid and Riley in time. But one wrong move could drive her into a psychotic break. They could possibly never find their friends, and finding them alive would be a fairy tale.

JJ walked in, joining Rossi and Hotch. She looked over Mrs. Engles a moment, then turned to the two men.

"Anything?" Hotch asked, never taking his eyes from the woman.

"Nothing useful, sir," JJ confessed. "The line has been flooded with tips, many people claiming they've seen all three of them, but none are worth investigating." She glanced at Mrs. Engles again. "What about her?"

"I want you to talk to her, JJ," Hotch finally turned to meet her eyes. Rossi looked at her as well, on the same page.

JJ looked stunned. "Me, sir?" she asked. "I'm… I'm not…"

"She can connect to you better than anyone else on this team." Hotch explained.

"Sir, I'm not trained in interrogation." JJ admitted. "It would be better if-"

"JJ, she can trust you." Rossi chimed in. "We need her confidence and we need it now. She's the only one who can help us."

"Emily and I will prep you," Hotch explained. "We'll give you some techniques on what to say."

"Okay," JJ agreed. A horrible thought surfaced in her mind. "But… what if she doesn't know how to find him?"

That was not the first time Hotch himself had considered that. Still, his instincts told him they were on the right track. "She knows."

…

Half asleep, Mrs. Engles was startled as the door opened. She sat up as the presence of an unfamiliar agent entered the room.

"Mrs. Engles?" she asked, offering her hand. "My name is Jennifer Jareau. I work with the other agents you've spoken with this week."

"You going to yell at me, too?" She asked, slouching in her arms again, refusing to shake her hand. Finally, JJ set it down.

She took the seat across from the distraught woman. Mentally unstable and a slight religious fanatic, perhaps, but, as JJ looked over her, she realized Hotch's thinking about sending her in here. It wasn't that they were both mothers or familiar with incredible circumstances. JJ knew how to sympathize with grieving families. Linda Engles was grieving for her son. He wasn't gone yet, but he would be soon. To her, he was already gone.

"Mrs. Engles." JJ said. "I'm not here to accuse you of anything." No response, JJ continued. "Can I get you anything? Coffee? Water?"

"I want my son," she moaned into her arms.

JJ took a deep breath. "I… want to bring him to you, Mrs. Engles," she stated. "But… we don't know where he is. He's kidnapped two people and they're going to die."

"He's setting them free!" She cried, sitting up. "You could never understand!"

"I… do understand." JJ explained. "I'm a mother… I have a son. His name is Henry."

It softened her. Her eyes seemed to sparkle with a warmer glow. "Henry," she repeated. "How old?"

"He's two," she said, smiling. "He's back home… and I miss him dearly. I know what it's like to be apart from your son."

"Two," she said, "That's such a great age. I remember when Jimmy was two. He was… so enchanted by things. He loved being outside, and feeling the wind on his face."

JJ smiled. "He sounds like a special boy."

Mrs. Engles smiled, trying not to cry. She nodded. "Jimmy has always been a good boy. He listened to me. Since he was a baby, he's always done what he's told. The other boys… they never listened, just like their stupid father. And Maria… she was a demon. And she was going to bear another demon, just like her."

Trying to stay focused, JJ steered the conversation. "Mrs. Engles… we need to find Jimmy. Can you tell us where he is? Because if you can… I can bring Jimmy to you. You'll be able to see him, right here."

"No!" Mrs. Engles cried. Her hands banged on the table top. "No, no, no! Jimmy… has to go. He can't ever come back. Not ever. Not ever."

"Mrs. Engles, please," JJ pleaded. She reached over and took her hands in her own. "You know where Jimmy is, don't you?"

Mrs. Engles wouldn't answer, but her lack of any response was enough. "Okay, Mrs. Engles, I know you're worried for your son. We're not really interested in him… we're interested in the people he's taken."

"He's helping them," She explained. Her hands remained calmly in JJ's, not even attempting to pull away. "They're not your concern."

"But they are, Mrs. Engles." JJ cried. "See… your son took a man and woman. They're my friends. The man… Spencer… you met him. The other day… with Agent Prentiss."

"Dr. Reid?" she asked. After a long, catatonic thought, she nodded. "Yes, I remember him."

"Dr. Reid… Spencer… he's been one of my closest friends for years… and he's Henry's godfather."

She locked eyes with JJ, almost ready to give in. But still, she shook her head. "My son claims he's suffering. They're both suffering. And he wants to free them. It's the best way. We know it is, he knows it is."

"You and you're son believe in ending the suffering of people. Why is… burying them alive helping them?"

"Oh," she said, smiling. "Well, you don't understand. When the body goes through a great suffering, the soul needs released in order to find happiness. When the body goes through a great torture, the greater joy the soul receives after death. The others were given a proper burial. Maria was a demon, she needed to die greater than the others. Jimmy knew which souls needed greater treatment… your friends will be better off. You should be rejoicing for them."

"We don't share your understanding, Mrs. Engles," JJ explained. "There's no way we can. Maybe your way is the right way, but we'll never understand that. And you're taking away our friends. We are all going to go through a great suffering with the loss of our friends… are you going to have to kill all of us? And Henry… he loves Spencer. If Spencer dies, does that mean you have to kill my son, too?"

Mrs. Engles gasped. JJ had finally gotten to her. She waited for an answer, silently begging for her to see reason, even just for a moment.

"I can't tell you where he is…" she spoke slowly. "… but I can tell you how to find him."

"How?" JJ asked desperately.

"Jimmy wrote those notes. The words are only meaningful if you understand our philosophy, which none of you seem capable of." Then she smiled. "But the numbers are simple… I showed him how to find the numbers… I can show you."

…

Reid was up to his knees in Earth. Each dig was slow and steady. Engles never pressed him to move faster. He passed around the grave, giving a few views of constructive criticism on the young genius's work.

Riley was still in the dirt. She was looking up at the canopy of the forest, her eyes were open. Above them, the moonlight had seeped away and the stars had vanished. Overcast had set in. Rain was coming.

Engles moved to Riley and finally pulled her upright. "Get up," he moaned. "If Lover Boy has to keep working, you could at least have the decency to stay on your feet."

He'd only have one chance at this. If he failed, they were both dead, but it was better than doing nothing. Riley got slowly and tenderly to her feet…

"Why can't you leave her alone?" Reid asked, continuing to dig. "Don't listen to him, Riley. You rest."

"Don't you dare," Engles said, looking back at Riley. "Stay on your feet. If you lie down, I'll leave you in these woods and I'll take him and make him suffer for days, until he begs for-"

With a quick swipe, Engles was knocked off his feet. Reid, having taken as much strength as he could muster, swung the shovel at his knees, knocking him down.

Engles wasn't phased for more than a second. He lunged at Reid, trying to pin him down and get his gun out at the same time. A brutal fight ensued. Riley backed away, frightened, watching. She wanted to help, but the fear and panic in the situation had taken away all the capacity for rational thought.

"Riley…" Reid called as the two men wrestled. He pulled her attention back to reality. Reid could never hope to overpower this man, even under normal circumstances; he just needed to keep him restrained for a few moments. "Run, now!"

"No…" she mumbled. She couldn't leave him. This would not be their last moment together; this was not the end.

Pushing Engles off him, Reid screamed at her. "You promised me!"

"I won't leave you!"

"Riley, you promised!" Engles hit him in his throat, sending him into a spurt of coughing.

It wasn't enough to stop him. He continued his battle with Engles. Riley had to do as Reid asked. She took a deep breath and turned, heading back they way they came. A moment later, Engles pinned him, finally forcing the gun on him. With the feel of the cold metal against his ear, Reid watched as her form disappeared into the night. He smiled with relief.


	28. We Are A Family

"Do you really think you've saved her?" Engles asked into Reid's ear after pulling the gun away. "You've just prolonged the inevitable. You've given her false hope. She'll never really get away. I'll find her and when I do, I'll torture her in ways you can't even imagine." He moved away from Reid, pulling him up.

Engles was strong, and Reid had lost all that was left of his strength. On his feet, Engles gripped at his hair, making him look his murderer right in his eyes. "Let's see, what would really get under Dr. Reid's skin? Burying her alive is not enough… maybe she'd enjoy being hanged by her wrists for a few days… no food, no water…" Reid glared at him, and Engles smiled. "Or maybe… there's another way I can _exhaust_ the life out of her."

"Don't you dare." Reid snarled, staring daggers at him.

"What are you going to do?" He sneered. "Come back from the dead?"

He tossed him aside. Reid stumbled a moment, but had no chance to even try to get away before Engles appeared with his gun and the shovel. "Dig," he said, tossing him the object at him. "Run and I'll shoot you. I'll leave you here until you bleed to death. Dig until I'm satisfied… and I'll try and make it quick for you."

Reid began digging. He was dead either way, but if he kept digging, it gave Riley more time to get to safety.

…

"I keep thinking Reid's going to call," Emily muttered to Morgan, turning her phone over and over in her hand. "I keep hoping we're wrong and he and Riley have just been… eluding us all night."

Morgan didn't reply. No one wanted to say it, but everyone was thinking the same thing. There was no chance they were going to find them alive. The only shred of hope they had was that they wouldn't remain missing for the rest of time. They deserved to have a proper funeral, to have the people who loved them give them a dignified farewell… they didn't deserve this.

Emily and Morgan were alone in the conference room at the police station. The numbers and calculations on the white board Reid had been slaving over were left untouched. On the table were the forgotten files on the case. They seemed so useless now. Each one had a cup of coffee, but it had long since turned cold.

Everyone felt so helpless. It was an unspeakable, unimaginable feeling. Being in the middle of a horrible situation, knowing you should be doing something, wanting to do something – anything – to make it better. But you can't. Not at that time. And, good or bad, that's the worst feeling of all: waiting.

"Do you think JJ's having any luck?" Emily continued.

"I don't know," Morgan snapped. He was not in any mood to talk or think. Emily understood. Her body working on it's own accord, Emily reached over and clasped his hand.

"We're all upset," she said, trying to keep her tears back. "You can't give up hope yet."

"Prentiss, just lay off with the hopeful crap, okay. We're not the naïve and optimistic family. We know the odds of find them… of finding him…"

"Morgan, I know it seems easier to pretend like this is just another kidnapping, and the victims have no connection to us. It's painless to look the pictures of victims and just see them as bodies… things that to us were never alive and human. But we know Reid. We love him. Reid is more than a teammate; we're more than a team… Reid's right," Her eyes wouldn't hold back the tears much longer. "We are a family."

They sat in silence for a few moments, their eyes locked with each other. At that moment, it was like they were seeing a layer of themselves invisible to the world until now. The two usually so reserved and detached agents, struggling with a pain no sane person would wish on an enemy, connected to each other. He gripped her hand, fearful to let it go.

"I know where to find them!" JJ cried as she rushed into the room. Her hand immediately went to an eraser and over the white board, removing Reid's work. Hotch and Rossi arrived a moment later, looking both anxious and relieved.

Morgan and Emily watched as JJ began to draw a chart on the board. The lines were crude, being drawn so quickly. In the first row, she wrote numbers one through nine. Underneath each of those, she filled each letter of the alphabet.

"What is this?" Morgan asked, standing up to examine the work.

"Linda Engles taught her son about numerology and astrology and other hokum religions. She's very devout in it, and she believes that each person is controlled and connected to particular numbers."

As she spoke, JJ started writing down Parker on the board and a series of calculations under it. The numbers used were matched to the letters from the chart. "Jimmy Engles followed his mother's beliefs and exceeded, believing he needed to cleanse people of illnesses and even emotional pain."

Pausing a moment, all the numbers in a row, JJ started adding them together. "Linda Engles taught her son how to find people's numbers through this method. You… match the letter with its numbers… and you keep adding until you get one single number." Another pause as she worked. Morgan glanced at Emily, confused. JJ wrote quickly, working with such amazing fervor. It was almost like Reid had possessed her body.

"Now, Jimmy Engles felt the only way he could 'give the souls peace' was if they suffered a painful death and then buried in a place that had a cosmic connection to them. Therefore, he chooses a place with the number matching to name of the victim."

"But JJ, that can't be right." Emily said, standing up and moving next to Morgan. "The numbers weren't all single digits. The highest number was 32, Addie and the caretaker were buried at 12."

JJ finished working the numbers, coming out with the number 33. "I've thought about that. And I've considered that maybe there are just too many victims at one number to keep burying them there. Maybe there are other victims that, like the caretaker at Jefferson, didn't have family or anyone to report them missing. If there are too many victims in one grave, he uses the previous number. 32, 12, or…" she pointed to the final solution. "33."

"But explain to me, JJ," Hotch voiced. "He took both Reid and Riley, why aren't you using his name, too?"

"Because Reid wasn't always his main focus. Riley was his focus. Maybe he wanted Reid after we showed up and started to spend more time with Riley, but still kept the burial the same place."

"Okay," Rossi said, trying to think it over. "Morgan, call Garcia. Tell her we need to run a search on places in Seattle; try and find a place which name gives us 33."

"That could lead to a dozen places." Emily exclaimed. She felt overwhelmed, looking at JJ's work on the board.

"It definitely narrows it down from the entire city." Hotch said. "Come on, we don't have much time."

Morgan grabbed his phone, rushing to call their technological savior. Hotch and Rossi went off, no doubt to deal with Linda Engles, possibly to find anymore information they could on her son. Emily remained with JJ as she wrote the names of other victims on the board. With her new found knowledge, she could find the places of the other victims. At least the grieving families could have closure.

…

Mixed with the tearful eyes and the absence of light, Riley could barely see where she was running. She couldn't believe she had just left him behind. But what was she supposed to do? They couldn't fight off Engles… he was too strong. Even if she had been able to think clearly, with bound hands and injuries, her help would have been futile. Spencer knew that and had sacrificed himself for her.

It wasn't over yet. She had to at least try to get help. Maybe she could get back in time, maybe she could save him. It wouldn't be easy; she was in the middle of the woods somewhere along the interstate. Her running slowed down, her feet were aching, her cut had turned her leg numb. To top it off, the threat finally broke from the clouds and it began to rain, dripping through the leaves.

It made the ground soggy within minutes. Her feet sunk deeper into the dirt, running through the soppy leaves and heavy droplets. Her hair, frizzy and messy, clung to her face. She pushed it aside, managing to move on. And there it was.

The truck sat exactly where Engles had left it. They tailgate still lay open allowing rain to seep in. A small pool of water had mixed with the remnants of their blood. Riley rushed to the front seat, thankful the door hadn't bothered being locked.

It was difficult, but Riley managed to pull herself inside. Engles might have left a cell phone in there. All Riley could think was to call Aaron. He was the only team member whose phone number she knew by heart. Her deadened coupled hands struggled to search the vehicle. She looked everywhere. The glove compartment, the sun visors, and the ash tray all were searched, turning up nothing worth while. She wasn't about to give up. The last fifteen minutes of the ride had been bumpy, probably from their entrance into the woods. Perhaps it had fallen under the seat. Adjusting herself, she felt under the passenger's side. Nothing. With difficulty, she reached under the drivers, her fingers making contact with several pieces of jagged metal.

Gasping, Riley sat up, pulling out a ring of keys. Engles had left the keys here. Trying to control her fingers, Riley found what had to be the ignition key and got the vehicle started. She could drive and find help. They were probably a good distance from the city, but a gas station or a motel or something. Just a building with a phone, that's all she needed. Hopefully, they would know they were missing by now.

Driving with her wrists bound would be next to impossible. There was no other way. Starting the car, she attempted to drive out of the woods. Her foot pressed onto the accelerator. The wheels spun, the engine revved… but she didn't move. The car was sinking in mud.

"Come on," Riley pleaded, begging for the vehicle to move. Every passing second was another second wasted to save Spencer. She pressed the pedal to the floor, thankfully feeling the truck move forward.

The road was a good distance away. It felt like hours before she pulled out onto the pavement again. No one was on the road. She was perpendicular to the markings, turning the wheel to match their direction, not entirely sure which one was right.

The wheel was too difficult to control, unable to straighten herself in time. In an instant, feeling like slow motion, the car was in its own control, slipping on the slick roadway.

Next thing, the last thing she remembered for a long time, was the truck crashing against the guard rail on the opposite side of the highway. With a new bump on the top of her head, an effect from smacking off of the window, consciousness slipped from Riley. She fell against the door, fading away from the world.

…

"I hate this," Morgan muttered. The group waited in the conference room, maps had replaced the files on the table. Even with Garcia working back in Quantico, they were still trying to figure out where Reid and Riley could be. Morgan stood up, needing to stretch his legs. He didn't want to take a break, but he couldn't focus, he just needed a few minutes. "They could be anywhere. Even if we find every place that connects to 33, how are we supposed to know it's the right place?"

No one had an answer for that. But there was no better option. Even with further investigation with Linda Engles, it seemed she wouldn't determine where her son was.

Hotch and Rossi had returned after wasting an hour in the interrogation room. "Anything?" JJ asked.

"Nope," Rossi admitted. "She won't admit it, but I doubt even she knows where her son is. All she could talk about was what a good son Jimmy is, even when he was a little boy. If I had kids, I don't think I'd be too proud if they turned out to be murderers."

"Did she mention anything useful?" Emily asked, already knowing the answer, as she looked over a detailed map of King County.

"Just rambled on about his childhood. How the other kids didn't understand him, his siblings were impossible, camping, playing in the snow; honestly, it seemed a little too unnatural for a mother/son relationship."

"You're thinking… abuse?" Morgan asked.

"I'd imagine." Rossi said. "They both can claim he's mentally incompetent, they can swear it's a religious or spiritual thing, but no one inflicts pain like this without experiencing pain themselves."

At that moment, Morgan's phone rang. He didn't even need to look to know who it was. "Baby Girl, give us good news."

Quickly, heading to the white board, Morgan grabbed a marker, erasing a spot so he could write. Listening to Garcia, he wrote the names she'd found for them. "You're sure these numbers match?"

"Absolutely," she told him on other side of the phone. "I wish I could narrow it down further."

"Don't worry about it, you are a goddess." He exclaimed.

Her voice hitched in her throat. "Thanks, just… find our boy, okay?"

"We're trying. We'll call you when we know something." He hung up quickly. Ten possible places, all excellent choices for Engles.

"Okay," Hotch said, looking over the names. "Provided the answer is here… one of these places has to stick out more than the others."

"It's like that old Sesame Street game," Emily muttered. "One of these things just doesn't belong here."

"Wait," JJ said, struck with an epiphany. "Fox Dens… what is that?"

"Uh…" Emily muttered, running a finger over the map. "I thought I just saw that… here, it's a camp ground."

JJ smiled. "Didn't Linda Engles mention something about camping?"

A silent look was shared among the group. "Let's go," Hotch urged. Everyone rushed out the door. They knew where they were; the team was on its way.

A/N: I figured since the show gave her the shaft; the least I could do was make JJ the hero.


	29. Fox Dens

Fox Dens was a large campground situated not far outside of King County. At high speed with sirens and lights, it would take at least a half an hour, and that was assuming they didn't encounter any devastating traffic.

Along with several police cars, the team, each already donning their respective gun vests, packed into one SUV and were on their way within minutes. The ride was spent in silence; the only sound heard was the sirens mixed with the increasing hum of the engine and the wipers swiping over the windshield. Each one couldn't help but think if all this commotion was necessary, trying to ignore the sensation they were already too late. Even if they were headed to the right location, it could take hours, even days to find where he buried them.

Hotch drove, with Rossi in the front seat. Emily sat between JJ and Morgan, all three having the feeling they were kids in the backseat on a road trip. And like on a road trip, each one had that feeling they were going to throw up.

"Hotch, faster," Morgan muttered.

Without response, they could feel the car begin to speed up. How far away, they didn't know, but at least they had one thing. As long as they sat in that car, they still had hope. Once they go there, Reid and Riley would be dead or alive. Here, they could hope for the best… while still expecting the worst.

The windshield wipers moved furiously with the rain, sloshing the water aside to help them see into the night. Traveling this fast on such slick pavement could not have been wise, but desperate times called for desperate measures. The police kept up behind them. The sound of the sirens was wearing thin on all their nerves. But they weren't far.

"There are three different road entrances on this highway." JJ said, looking over a map of the campground she had brought.

"The police know to split up and surround the campground. Block all possible exits and main roadways." Hotch informed. "If Engles is still there, he'll have no way out."

"What if he's not there?" Emily asked.

"Then we scour the grounds until we… find them." Hotch stuttered on the last words. "Just… everyone needs to keep their heads. I know we don't want to think the worst right now, but this is just like any other case."

"Saying that Hotch just reminds us this is not like any other case." Emily pointed out, the edginess seeping out in her response.

…

Exhausted, Reid shoveled out another measure of muddy soil. Waist deep now, he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up. His head was aching, and a few blisters had begun to form on his hands. Looking up, he noticed Engles' form as he leaned against a nearby tree, observing. He was enjoying this a little too much.

"I wonder if she's made it to the road yet?" Engles said into the darkness. "Walking along… with her hands tied… at the mercy of any person who drives by. We're in a heavily wooded area; all kinds of maniacs are found out here."

"I suspected that," Reid replied. Engles was trying to upset him, trying to put him through emotional pain. He focused on digging. Reid would be dead within the hour, he was sure. He just hoped Riley had gotten help by now. All of Reid's chances were gone. No wonder Engles had wanted him to keep digging. By the time it came for him to die, he'd too be exhausted to fight… he'd be begging for death.

A twig snapped in the distance. Engles spun around, thinking they'd been discovered. Reid paused, watching him. It was just an animal, Reid knew. Though he appeared a calm woodsmen, Engles was still tense and anxious, both of which lingered just below the surface. The forest around them was sounded with just the echo of the rain, dripping through the leaves, splattering onto the ground. Reid was freezing and wet, certain the temperature was dropping.

"Alright, you can stop." Engles said turning back around, his breathing had calmed once again.

Reid looked around at his morbid work. "I think it could be a little deeper, actually."

To his surprise, Engles laughed. "You've got a good sense of humor, Dr. Reid. I'm sure it's one of the things Riley loves about you. I'll be sure to bring that up when I catch her again. How you tried to act brave. The first time I tried to kill her, she screamed and begged for you, did you know that? I'm suspecting you'll either beg for her or your mommy."

"My mother is a paranoid schizophrenic, Jimmy," Reid said. "I have long since ceased the desire for her help."

"We'll see then." He muttered, seeming occupied. In the dead darkness, Reid tried to make out Engles form. Once his mind could comprehend, he watched through the horrible weather, his burning hands still gripping the shovel, as Engles' hands fidgeted with his gun.

…

Not far now. Hotch continued driving at lightening speed through the rain. Morgan reached over and claimed the map from JJ. He read it quickly. "The first entrance into the campground should be just around the next bend." He said. "We should take that one, let the other cops cover the other two."

Hotch gave no indication he heard anything Morgan said. They sped around the bend, Hotch making no attempt to slow down. Both Emily and JJ clutched onto their seats in desperation, as if there were a threat they would be thrown from the vehicle. The first roadway entrance to the campground was seen. Hotch sped past as if it didn't exist.

"Hotch, you missed it, what are you doing?" Emily asked. Glancing back, a few of the other cops broke off to go inside.

"He didn't use an entrance." Hotch said. "That would be too obvious."

"Then how do you suspect he got in?" Rossi asked.

"Engles probably entered somewhere off the road, some pathway he made himself or something only known to local hunters."

"We'll never find that in the dark, Hotch." Morgan exclaimed. "The best way is to drive through the public areas."

"We'll never find him that way," he said. "He'll get out before we can set up any kind of perimeter."

"That's true, but…" Emily added, "This is miles and miles of unfamiliar woods and wilderness and-"

"No, Hotch is right." Rossi said. "There will be something that stands out, some clue."

"Can we spot it in this weather?" JJ asked.

No sooner had she said that did they see it. Some yellow pickup resting on the opposite side of the road. Immobile, like it had been there a long time. The bed of the truck was down; hiding the license plate, although no one in the SUV doubted it was missing.

"I think so," Morgan muttered.

Disobeying traffic laws, Hotch swung quickly over to the truck. A few of the cops followed, the rest continued through to the woods. The SUV parked up next to the truck, each jumping out to examine the vehicle.

The sirens silenced. With the flash of the headlights, the mix of red and blue, they could see some figure sitting in the front, resting over the steering wheel against the door. Guns poised, they each surrounded the car. With a quick glance all around, they made their first move.

"James Engles?" Hotch called loudly, trying to be heard over the rain and the cars. "This is the FBI, show me your hands."

The figure inside didn't move. Hotch took a glance at Morgan. He understood. Shifting his gun to on hand, Morgan reached over to check the handle. Unlocked, he quickly pulled it open, allowing the motionless body to fall out.

It only took a second for Aaron Hotchner to register the mounds of curly black hair. Reaching out, he caught the body before she could hit the ground.

"Oh my God," JJ cried, rushing forward.

"Riley," Hotch called, hooking his gun into his belt. Riley had cuts and new bruises, her wrists tied like the other victims. Hotch adjusted her in his arms, trying to jostle her awake. "Riley, can you hear me?"

JJ reached over and felt for a pulse. Nodding, "She's alive. She… must have gotten away. Somebody call the medics, tell them where we are." She called to the standing cops.

"What about Reid?" Morgan asked.

"Riley," Hotch yelled, shaking her again. "Riley. Come on, wake up. Where is Reid?"

All he managed to get out of her was a moan. "Okay, there has got to be a path somewhere around here," Morgan said.

"Over there," Emily suggested to the side of the road they had been driving on. "The truck is facing the wrong direction. She must have tried to drive away and crashed over here."

"Let's check it out," Morgan agreed, adjusting his gun in his hands. "Reid might still be alive. No flashlights, we can't risk spooking this guy. Let's go."

"I'll stay with her until the medics get here." JJ said to Hotch. "Don't worry, she'll be okay."

"Hotch, we've got to go. We have to get to Reid." Morgan said. Both Emily and Rossi were heading across the highway, trying to find where Engles had gotten into the woods.

"No," Hotch said, refusing to let the girl go. "You guys go ahead; I want to stay with her." He looked up, meeting Morgan's eyes. "I need to stay with her."

Morgan understood. They all knew how much Riley meant to Hotch… almost as much as she meant to Reid. "Okay," he replied. "We'll be back soon."

Morgan left to meet his friends. The sound of the ambulance coming down the highway was heard, heading to their side of the interstate to meet them. Morgan, Emily, and Rossi, guns at the ready, didn't have to take long to find the path inside. The three, unprepared as to what they'd find, headed into the unknown wilderness.

…

There was no way to tell if they were going in the right direction. Straight seemed the best option. Not to mention, not wanting to draw attention to themselves, the lack of light made them move at a snails pace.

They had to have been moving at least twenty minutes before they knew they were on the right track. A voice echoed in the vibrations of the raindrops.

"_I wonder if she's made it to the road yet."_ The voice wafted over to them. It could be Engles, but not one of them had actually met him. _"Walking along… with her hands tied… at the mercy of any person who drives by. We're in a heavily wooded area; all kinds of maniacs are found out here."_

"_I suspected that,"_ Another answered. All three made silent praises of thanks. There was no mistaking that voice. Reid was alive. Their guns up, they moved closer into position.

Unsure of his footing, Morgan took a step and heard a crack. Emily and Rossi glanced at him anxiously. The talking had ceased. All three stood frozen, wondering if Engles had figured things out.

They each breathed a sigh of relief as Engles started speaking after some time. "_Alright, you can stop."_ Engles said.

They would only have once chance at this, trying to move as close as possible. The closer they were to the scene when they made their presence know, the better chance they had at overpowering him. _"I think it could be a little deeper, actually."_

Engles laughed out loud. Morgan, Rossi and Emily all stifled their own laugh. Mostly, from the relief that their friend was still alive.

Engles continued talking. They were just inches from the grave. Everything was on Morgan now. He was designated to let the others know when to attack. Guns poised, they waited for the right moment.

"_We'll see then."_ He muttered. Taking one more deep breath, Morgan held his gun up.

"Freeze, FBI!" Morgan called, moving into sight. Emily rushed forward, weapon at the ready. Rossi stepped forward, his gun in one hand, a shining flashlight alive in the other. A hope to blind Engles and take him down easily.

But unable to see where he was, though, their plan backfired. The light never shined on Engles. He stepped forward, one hand gripping a handful of Reid's hair, the other forcing the muzzle of the gun against his head.

"James Engles," Morgan called, his gun pointed at his chest. "Drop your weapon."

He didn't say a word. Pulling back on the hair, Reid moaned in pain. Engles pulled him so his body was blocking any suitable shot.

"Engles," Emily exclaimed. "Let him go. He didn't do anything to you."

"No, I won't let you take me until I finish this." His voice was calm; stable. Reid was in unbearable pain, feeling his hair pulling back further. The muzzle pressed painfully against his skull.

"It's over, Engles," Morgan called. "Let him go."

"You don't understand!" He cried, the agitation beginning to surface. "I'm helping him. I'm ending his suffering."

"No, you're not." Morgan called. "You're an abused little boy who's trying to inflict his pain on everyone else. You find weak, innocent people and hurt them to make yourself feel better and try to make your mommy proud of you."

"Leave my mother out of this."

"You're mother is in custody, James." Rossi said. "She's going to jail for a very long time."

Engles was frozen, letting up his hold on Reid slightly. "You're lying. My mother had nothing to do with this."

"How do you think we found you?" Morgan asked. "She told us everything. If you kill Dr. Reid, we'll be forced to kill you."

"You'll never see your mother again." Emily added. "We won't tell her what happened here. You'll be just like your victims… your mother will never know what happened to her son." She paused, stepping forward. "Do you really want to do that to her?"

Engles breathed heavily as he thought. To Reid it felt like an eternity. He couldn't even think of his own name, the pain was so blinding.

Finally, the release on his hair was gone and the gun was pulled away. Reid was pushed to the ground, falling onto his knees. A splash was heard next to him, indicating Engles had dropped the gun.

Morgan and Rossi rushed forward to handcuff the surrendering killer. Emily tucked her gun away, heading to help her friend.

He appeared bewildered for a moment, unable to fully realize it was over. Emily knelt in front of him. Her hand brushed some of his sopping hair aside, the better to see his face. "Reid?" She asked softly.

From the light of the sole flashlight, she saw a sparkle of recognition on his face. Reid locked eyes with her. His mind caught up to the moment. Both crying and smiling at the same time, his emotions flowed to the surface. Emily took him into her arms; Reid buried his face into her shoulder and began sobbing. He clung to her as if his life depended on it. "Shh…" she soothed, gently stroking his shivering body. "It's okay. You're safe now." She let her own tears fall. She glanced at Morgan. With the rain, it couldn't be proven, but Emily swore she saw tears on his face, too.


	30. I Told You So

Riley moaned deeply as she opened her eyes. At first, she thought someone had smacked her with a two by four. The light in the room stung her eyes like acid, she moaned again.

"Agents… she's waking up." she heard someone call. There was a lot of commotion going on in the distance, but she couldn't register where she was.

"Hey," a female EMT said, examining her eyes with a penlight. Riley scrunched her eyelids a moment, hit by the unexpected glow. "Welcome back to the world."

"Ugh," she muttered. Her hand ran up into her matted curls and felt the bump on her head. The EMT stepped outside, leaving her alone. Riley sat up, probably too soon, swinging her legs around the edge of a gurney. She looked around her. Riley was sitting in the back of an ambulance. Her clothes were filthy and damp; she was wrapped and bandaged, her temple restitched and a roll of gauze covered a roll of stitches on her leg. Everything started flooding back to her. The kidnapping, the accident, leaving her love in the rain to be murdered. "Oh God…"

A figure had moved into the ambulance. Riley was staring at the floor, letting the reality of the situation wash over her. The figure stood next to her until finally, Riley's eyes traveled up and saw a familiar face.

"Aaron!" she cried. Her tears could be damned no longer. Hotch immediately wrapped her in his arms as he sat next to her. She cried lightly into his shoulder.

"It's alright," he said. "You're going to be okay."

She couldn't get a word out, the tears were gushing so fast, and it still hurt terribly to take a breath. She sobbed into his gun vest, clutching the fabric of his sleeve in her fist.

"Spencer?" She finally asked, sitting up to look at Hotch.

He shook his head. "Morgan, Prentiss, and Rossi went into the woods after Engles. They haven't come back yet… we don't know."

More tears spilled from her. "I didn't want to leave him." She sobbed, covering her eyes with her hand. "He's dead… he's dead because of me."

"Riley… you couldn't have stopped him…" he said, brushing her shoulder comfortingly. Hotch, for once, didn't know what else to say. He couldn't give her any absolute truth and no set of comforting words could remotely ease the pain. He tried to look in her eyes, but her hand obstructed her vision as it hid her tears. The feel of more people joining them in the ambulance was sensed. Riley didn't care who they were, she just continued crying.

"I shouldn't have left him…" she wept. "That should be me in that grave. He went through that… because of me. He died because of me… how could I have left him?"

"Because I made you promise." A voice said.

Riley was afraid to look, for fear it was just her imagination. Carefully, after a few seconds, her hand slipped away from her eyes and her tears slowed.

Standing before her, able to stand upright only from the help of his best friend Morgan, stood the bruised and beaten gangly form of Spencer Reid. Fresh blood covered the side of his face and he seemed to have less strength than a house of cards.

But he was alive.

Riley couldn't even speak. In fact, she could barely move. The tears started again as she finally managed to get on her feet. Her arms left Hotch, not even flinching as the weight went onto her bad leg. Riley gaped at him in shock.

He was smiling at her, like he was actually happy to see her. That was the trigger. She began screaming at him hysterically. "Why are you smiling? You shouldn't be smiling! You should be angry! Or upset! Or at least numb! You always have the wrong emotion!"

Reid reached for her, pulling the frantic, injured woman into his arms. Her ranting silenced and she sobbed onto his shoulder, clinging to him. "I'm sorry," her moans muffled by his filthy shirt. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have left you. I'm so sorry, Spencer."

All he could do was hold her. Finally.

…

While the ambulance took Reid and Riley to Seattle Mercy, the others took Engles back to the station. His attitude on the way surprised them. He seemed neither nervous nor calm. It was interesting; Engles almost seemed sad.

The station was quiet when they arrived. Morgan directed Engles towards the interrogation area. "You realize you can't prove anything," he muttered as he was brought into the first available room.

"Sit down, Mama's Boy," Morgan pushed their unsub into his seat. He didn't even bother to wait until he settled before he rushed out the door.

"I thought I was going to get to see my mother." He called. "Excuse me!"

The door shut, leaving him alone. His hands were still secure in Morgan's handcuffs. Morgan managed to resist the urge to switch the lights off and leave him in the dark. The last thing they needed was Engles being released because of cruel and unusual punishment. Not particularly cruel, but defense attorneys would use anything to get their clients released.

Hotch and Rossi waited outside. Morgan joined them in their debate to how to go about questioning this man. The problem was Engles was right. The only solid evidence they had on Engles was three counts of kidnapping: Alex, Reid, and Riley. There wasn't a doubt in anyone's mind that he was the Undertaker, but there was no actual proof he committed the murders.

"He's not going confess." Morgan admitted as he joined them. "He knows we know he's not crazy. He'll take this to the grave. And kidnapping is not a capital offense. He'll probably get a minimal sentence, be out in less than a decade and be back at this again in some different city."

"We'll get a confession, Morgan," Hotch assured. "We've done this before; we just need to appeal to him."

"What about his mother?" Rossi suggested. "Engles will do anything to please her. If she were to ask him about it, I'm sure he wouldn't lie."

"I don't think she'd go for that." Hotch said. "Linda Engles will protect her son at all costs. She still thinks he's doing this for spiritual enlightenment."

Morgan had an idea. "Linda Engles is already going to jail for obstructing justice, probably even accessory if we get the right prosecutor. What if we make a deal?"

"Deals won't work, she wants to protect her son. She'll take the death penalty to save her child's life." Corrected Rossi.

"Not a deal with Linda, a deal with Jimmy." Morgan said. Without another thought, he rushed into the interrogation room. Hotch and Rossi, both nervous, went to the two-way mirror to watch. They had faith in Morgan, but both had fears this would be ruined.

Engles sat up, surprised. "I thought you would have left me sitting here for hours." He said.

"It seems like you're pretty acquainted with this procedure." Morgan noticed, taking a seat. "Considering you have a brother in jail, that's not a surprise. And that also makes me think you know what I'm doing in here."

Engles smiled. "You need a confession. You can't prove I did anything. So you want to make me a deal. Don't you need to talk to a DA before you make me a deal?"

"The deal isn't going to benefit you." Morgan pointed. "But instead, unless you admit to what you did, confess to all the murders you committed, whether we know about them or not… your mother is going to go down for this."

Engles looked confused. "My mother didn't do anything. You can't pin this on her."

"No, but your mother loves you. You're her angel, Jimmy." Morgan leaned forward and spoke softly, emphasizing the severity of the situation. "Suppose your mother where to hear me or one of my team talking about the Undertaker, how her angel is the suspect… and if he's convicted, they're going to put a needle in his arm. Unless someone else comes forward and confesses."

Engles gave a disbelieving laugh. "She wouldn't do that."

"You want to test that theory?" Morgan asked. "Because once we have a confession, we'll release you."

"I'll just kill someone else." Engles said. "I'll go after your friends and this time you won't find them."

"We'll just think it's the work of a copycat. I'd hate to lose my friends, but I'll be content in the fact they died bringing a murderer to justice… and when you're going down for their deaths. You'll sit on death row with Mommy knowing she made her sacrifice in vain."

His face was calm, but Engles' fists were clenched, their knuckles pure white. Taking a deep breath, he knew he was backed into a corner. "I'll confess."

Morgan gave a pleased smile. "That's what I thought."

…

Once the severity of the circumstances calmed down and he could think clearly, Reid had a true grasp on his situation. He lay in a hospital bed, in an uncomfortable gown, looking out the blinds of his window. After a series of tests, the doctors concluded he just needed some bandages and a few stitches along with some rest. Reid was assured he could leave the next afternoon. In a few hours, the rain stopped and dawn arrived. Some of his strength having returned, Reid climbed out of bed to get a better look outside. The bright light mixed in with the gray clouds, swirling together. Sunrise was never more beautiful when you believed you would never see the light of day again.

Reid was torn in two different places. He knew what he wanted and it was possibly close enough to touch. But he also knew there was another choice. It was no doubt the smarter plan of action. Could he really be strong enough to do that, give up what he wanted so much? He had been seven months ago.

He wasn't alone for long. At some point another soul had come into the room and stood for some time, observing the man as he observed the dawn.

"Hey," the soft voice said behind him. Reid turned and saw Riley standing there, in a matching wrap-around gown and bare feet. Her legs were bare with the exception of her stitches and her hair was dry and brushed, hanging around her, still frizzy from all the rain.

"Hi," he said, smiling. "You shouldn't be putting weight on your leg like that; you should have a crutch or something."

"I'm fine," she said, walking in. She closed the door behind her, leaning against it a minute. Her breathing still sounded awkward. "How are you? I mean… are you… okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. They stitched my head, there doesn't seem to be any complications." He paused, giving her one more look over. "You?"

She nodded. "Nothing broken. A few bruised ribs, but it seems my leg is the worst of it all."

Reid smiled with relief. "What are you doing here?"

After a slow exhale of breath, she gave a small smile "I… just needed to see you."

"Why, to make sure I didn't rethink it and start hating you?" He asked, teasing her.

She nodded, blushing slightly. "Yes, exactly."

Reid gave a laugh. "I could never hate you." He said.

She moved from the door and walked over to him. Her arms wrapped around him in an embrace. Reid held her close, breathing in her scent. It was unfamiliar; sterile, like the hospital. But it was still her. Reid wanted to kiss her, but he resisted.

"I've been thinking," she said without releasing him.

"About what?" Reid asked.

"About… our conversation in the back of the truck." She said, pulling away. "When we thought we were going to die."

"You're taking back what you said?" He asked.

"No," she assured, placing her hands on the side of his face. She stared directly into his hazel eyes. Her own were sparkling as she beamed. "That's just it, Spencer… I meant what I said. And… I love you."

Reid could barely breathe. "I love you, too."

She smiled, closing her eyes a moment, like her body was soaking in his words. Her eyes opened after a second. She reached up and kissed him. Her fingers slid into his hair, careful not to bother his wound. Reid wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her as close to him for as long as he could. But still he resisted. He couldn't let his own desires get in the way of what he knew was best.

Their lips parted. Riley smiled at him, her eyes shining. "I made a mistake, Spencer. I want to be with you. I love you and I want us to be together. I'm going to talk to the FBI, request a transfer back to Quantico-"

"Riley," Reid cut her off. "Don't do that."

Surprised, it took a moment for her to reply. "Why?"

"Because… I've been thinking about our conversation, too. And I'm thinking about what you said, about… ruining my life…"

Her jaw dropped slightly as she struggled to breathe. "Oh, God, no…" she mumbled. Her eyes began to glisten and he knew tears were on the way.

"Listen to me," he urged. His hands went to her arms to hold her steady, gazing into her eyes. "Listen… I love you. You are… you are it for me. I know that… but you don't. You are the one with doubts. And those feelings… they may be gone now, but I know they'll come back." He had to take a pause. His voice was beginning to quiver and he didn't want to start crying. "When you left… I thought eventually you would come back to me-"

"I am!" She cried. "I'm coming back now!"

"Because you're feeling vulnerable right now." Reid pointed out. "But you're not going to stay that way… Riley, what am I supposed to do? I can't almost kill you every four months just to hang on to you."

She didn't say anything, and Reid was thankful. He continued. "Letting you go was the hardest thing I ever had to do… I don't think I could do it again." He shook his head, looking away from her eyes. "I'm sorry… we can't be together."

He had expected her to argue. He had hoped she'd argue, but she didn't. The light left her eyes as she gave in. Her hands left his hair and slid to the sides of his face. Her thumb brushed his cheek. "I understand," she said softly.

"I am sorry," He said.

"No… you're right." Her voice squeaked. Her eyes closed as she let a few tears leak out.

"I do love you," he said.

"I love you, too." Riley whispered. Her eyes opened, her pupils dancing around, avoiding his gaze. She was so close to him; Reid felt and savored every breath on his face. "I uh… I wish I had something beautiful and brilliant to say… but I don't, so… I'm going to go."

Reid leaned down and kissed her. It was quick, like two people so accustomed with each other and were simply saying goodbye for an afternoon.

Her hands remained on him another moment. Finally, without any kind of goodbye, Riley turned and quickly left the room. Reid stood alone, watching as the door closed him inside. "I told you so," he muttered and turned back to the window.


	31. Goodbye, Dr Parker

Luckily, with the threat on Reid's life and the break in the case, Strauss gave them a few extra days before having to return. Jimmy Engles was taken to jail and Linda Engles was placed in a mental home, both pending trail.

Their last day in Seattle, the team met up at the station one last time to tie up loose ends. Reid was helping JJ clear up their supplies in the conference room. She stepped out to take a call from Will, leaving him alone.

"Dr. Reid?" he heard a voice ask from the door. Reid turned and saw his visitor, the first time he'd ever seen her so apologetic and timid.

"Detective Novak," he said, surprised.

"Please…" she said. "Leona."

"Leona," Reid repeated. "What can I help you with?"

"I… I wanted to apologize." She said, moving further into the room. "For… shooting you, mostly, and for the way I acted."

"It's not necessary." He replied sincerely.

"No, it is. I…" She took a deep breath. It doesn't matter who you are, admitting you're wrong is one of the hardest things for a human being to do. "I was so threatened by the fact we needed outside help in my town… I've solved hundreds of cases, but this one… it made me feel like-"

"-You were losing your touch?" He asked.

"Exactly," she said. "I felt threatened. If I had just worked with you and your team… we might have caught him sooner… you and Dr. Parker wouldn't have been kidnapped… you definitely would never have been shot."

Reid smiled. "It was dark, you can't expect to have good aim in the dark. And… it's not your fault, I understand." He offered his hand to her. "I accept your apology."

She shook his hand, smiling. "Thank you." She said. She looked around. "Although… I can't say I'm sorry to see you go."

"I wouldn't be if I were you," he replied.

"I assume with your departure, Dr. Parker will be joining you shortly?"

Reid paused in his gathering. "No," he muttered, continuing his clean up. "Dr. Parker is remaining here."

"Really?" she asked. "I thought you two… had a thing."

"We… used to… be a couple, had a thing, whatever you want to call it."

"But not anymore?"

"No," he answered. "We just… can't make it work."

"Well, it's hard to have a relationship when you don't love the other person."

"That's not it," Reid exclaimed. He stopped his work, spinning to face her. "I do love her, more than anything. And she loves me."

Novak looked confused. "Then what's the problem?"

With papers clutched in his hands, Reid made his way over to the trash bin. "Are you always this nosey with the other cops?"

"Always," she replied. "Now answer the question."

Reid took a deep breath and shrugged. "We love each other… but love is just not enough."

"Wow," she replied. "You're supposed to be the genius?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Reid asked.

"Well, you're saying love is not enough. Can I ask you what enough would be for you? Money… career… what, she's not pretty enough for you?"

Reid was shocked. "Riley is… beautiful, you know I'm not sure I want to discuss this with someone I don't even know."

"Hmm," Novak replied, heading towards the door. "Fine. But I suspect you don't discuss this with your friends, either, do you?"

His lack of response was enough of an answer for her, and she slipped out the door. Reid stood alone, amidst the papers and now useless files.

…

An hour later, they were just about ready to go. Hotch, along with Rossi, was clearing things up with the captain. The rest team was gathered in the conference room together waiting for him. Each were pleased by the fact in a few hours, they would be safe at home. Some were happier than others, wanting nothing more than to leave this city on the other side of the country where nothing in it could bother them – him – again.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Riley arrived at the door. "Oh, good, I didn't miss you guys."

"How you feeling?" Emily asked as everyone got up to greet her.

"Much better," she said. Reid looked her over, looking just as lovely as always, in a black knee length skirt, a lavender sweater, navy blue tights to hide her bandaged leg and, as usual, the Mary Jane saddle shoes. Her hand was still bandaged, but she seemed to be able to flex her fingers without much pain. The bruises on her face were barely visible. Upon closer inspection, Reid saw she went against her normality and covered them with make-up.

"Listen, guys…" This seemed hard for her to say. She cleared her throat, feeling everyone's eyes on her. "I'm so glad you came here. This case probably would have gone cold or worse without you. And… thank you… for saving my life. Again."

"You don't have to thank us," Morgan said, pulling her into a hug. "We're going to miss you."

"It was so good to see you again," Emily replied, next in line after Morgan let her go.

Next was JJ. She gave her a kind smile, tilting her head in question. "You're sure you won't change your mind, Riley?"

Reid expected her to look at him. But she never did. A glint of determination in her eyes, "I've made up my mind. For sure."

"Okay," JJ replied, pulling her into a hug. "We'll miss you."

There was only one person left in the group. Reid wasn't sure on the procedure here, but he didn't have time to think. The moment was upon him. Riley stood at the ready. He had hoped for a hug, maybe even one last kiss. His heart sank as she stuck out her hand. "Goodbye, Dr. Reid."

That hurt worse than the gun shots and the head wound combined. Reid stepped forward and accepted her hand. "Goodbye, Dr. Parker."

He wanted to hold her and kiss her and tell her how much he loved her. But letting her go was the right thing to do. For his sake and hers. They were better off apart, no matter how much they loved one another.

They hung onto each other, longer than the normal hand shake decorum. "Listen, I… have to go. Have a safe trip, you guys."

"You're not going to say goodbye to Hotch?" Emily asked.

"No," she said, inching towards the door. "He'll understand, just tell him I'll call him tonight. I really need to be somewhere right now."

"Yeah, we'll tell him," Morgan said, curiously glancing at the girls.

"Thanks," she said, smiling. She took one more glance at Reid, then rushed out the door.

Reid stared after her. He had just said goodbye to the love of his life. He was never going to see her again. And he didn't even call her by her first name.

After a moment, he realized there were eyes on him. "What!" he cried.

JJ was both stunned and appalled. "You're idiots. The both of you."

…

They were almost ready to go. Reid had packed his things quickly. The plane would be ready to go in a half an hour. Rain was falling outside. What a miserable city.

Reid sat in the lobby with his coat on. He had his shoulder bag and overnight bag, slouched in a seat while he waited on the others. At the station, he had been so incredibly desperate to leave this city behind… now he wasn't so sure he wanted to.

His cell phone was in his hands. He stared at it absentmindedly, willing for it to ring. Hopeful against all odds, Reid kept waiting for Riley to call. She would call and beg him to take her back… like he hadn't been the one to deny her this time. As if he hadn't been the one to push her away.

He did the exact same thing to her that he'd been demoralized and saddened over for the last seven months: he abandoned her because he was afraid of getting hurt again.

No, breaking it off now was the right thing to do. They couldn't be together. Reid couldn't put himself through this another time. It was the smart thing, the wise thing.

_Then why do I feel so lousy?_ He asked himself silently. _Why do I feel so stupid? Why do I feel like my life is over?_

"Reid?" Emily asked as she and Morgan appeared in the lobby. "Are you okay?"

He tore his eyes from the phone to look at his friends. "Yeah… I'm fine," he replied.

"Really?" Morgan asked. "Because you don't look fine."

"Well, Morgan, a few days ago I thought I was about to be buried alive in the middle of the woods," He said, stuffing his phone away. "How am I supposed to look?"

"That has nothing to do with it." Emily replied, sitting next to Morgan. "It's not like we weren't in that room today."

Reid shrugged, slouching lower in the seat. "It's better this way."

"You can keep saying that, kid," Morgan said. "It's not going to make it true."

"Everyone ready?" Hotch asked. He, Rossi, and JJ arrived, joining the other three. "We should get going if we don't want to be grounded from the storm."

Everyone grabbed their bags and headed for the entrance of the hotel. Reid started to walk, moving slowly, letting his friends walk a little faster. Once again, his legs were thinking on their own accord, except this time, they wouldn't let him reach the door.

There was no way he could do this. He wasn't just stupid, he was downright crazy.

"Guys," he called just before they made it outside. "You go ahead."

The entire team turned to face him, surprised. "What is it, Reid?" Morgan asked.

"I'm… I'm not going back with you." He said defiantly. "I'll catch up in a day or so."

No one needed an explanation. "You're sure, Reid?" Rossi asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure," he answered. "I've never been so sure in my life."

"Okay, then, the rest of you, let's go." Rossi informed. Hotch followed him out, but Emily, JJ, and Morgan lingered back to walk with Reid.

"What are you going to do?" JJ asked, smiling.

"I'm going to her apartment." He said as they made it outside. "I'm going to her apartment, I'm going to stay outside her door and I'm not leaving until she takes me back."

"How do you intend to do that, Reid?" Morgan asked, just as pleased as JJ and Emily.

"I'm not really sure," Reid replied, heading to the corner to catch a cab. "I don't have an exact plan. But I have a feeling it's going to involve groveling."


	32. The First Snow

A/N: Just so it's clear, time zones confuse me so much so I made my closest approximation.

Reid arrived at Riley's apartment building. He buzzed her door but there was no answer. She was probably still at work. Reid wasn't sure where she had to be that was so important, if there was any place at all. She could have just made that up to excuse herself quickly. Regardless, though, Reid thought he'd surprise her. What better to come home to than him sitting outside her door, ready to plead that he was wrong? This would work. She would take him back; this had to work.

Reid waited about an hour before somebody came down to the lobby. He knocked, getting the man's attention, flashing his badge to show that he wasn't a threat. The man quickly rushed over to let him in. "Is… there a problem in the building, Agent?" he asked.

"No, sir, there's nothing to worry about." He assured, entering the building. "I'm just here to see someone."

"An FBI agent doesn't show up to a residential building just to see someone." The man said as Reid headed over to the stairs. "Wouldn't your friend let you in themselves?"

Reid looked back to him, his hand on the door to the stairwell. "Not if you had to beg for her forgiveness." He said, heading up to the third floor.

"Oh," the man replied, understanding. "Yeah, we've all been there."

Reid made it to her door. Just in case she was inside, Reid knocked. No light seemed to glow under the crack of the door. For an instant, Reid thought about letting himself in. His hand trailed up to the top of the door frame, his fingers feeling for any jagged metal. To his surprise, he found nothing. That was odd. Riley almost always kept a spare key up there.

No matter, he shouldn't go in anyway. He took a seat on the floor, his back meeting the wood. It could be an hour, it could be three, but it didn't matter. He was going to wait here until she came back. His legs crossed under him, debating what to say when she arrived.

…

One hour turned into three, and three hours turned into five. The light through the hall window dimmed and finally dispersed completely. It was getting onto six o'clock, making it around nine in Quantico. The team had definitely arrived and gone home by now, provided they weren't out celebrating. Still, Reid wouldn't give up. Even if she didn't come back for days, he wasn't leaving. Though he was beginning to wish he did have a key. The need to use the restroom was creeping up on him.

Suddenly, his phone rang. No doubt Morgan or JJ or someone begging for details on what happened. Reid decided to let it go to voicemail. He didn't want to be distracted.

But the phone rang a second time. Reid left it alone. They would get the hint. Not long, there was silence in the hall once more.

A neighbor of Riley's passed by him, giving him a dirty look as to why some gangly man with long hair messy from the rain was sitting outside of an apartment. Reid gave her an acknowledging smile, but it didn't change her mind about him. Quickly, she rushed down the hall to her own home. Reid was alone again.

A third time his phone rang. Reid had to tell them to lay off. Quickly, he grabbed it. He didn't recognize the number. All the same, he flipped it open. "Hello," he said annoyed.

"Hi," a familiar voice said on the other end. It was tired and sounded just as annoyed as Reid.

"Hey," Reid replied, surprised. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm fine," she said. "I got a new cell phone. Just a disposable one for now until I pick a new plan. And… a little birdie told me you did not return with your team."

"Would that little birdie be my boss, Aaron Hotchner?" Reid asked.

"Don't worry about who the little birdie is!" Riley snapped. "What are you doing? Why are you still in Seattle?"

He really did not want to do this over the phone. However, he suspected Riley was not going to return to her apartment until she knew the truth about everything. "Because… Riley, I made a mistake. I shouldn't have pushed you away. I did the same thing to you that you did to me… but I have come to my senses a lot sooner."

Her breathing was heavy on the other end, like she was about to cry. "Where are you?" she asked. To his surprise, she sounded angry.

"I'm sitting outside your apartment." His statement was definitive. "And I'm not leaving until you come here and we work this out."

"Spencer, no!" She yelled. "You have to go home! You can't stay there."

"But I am," Reid stated plainly. "If you want me to leave, you have to come here yourself and force me."

"No, Spencer, you don't understand! You cannot stay there, you cannot be sitting outside of my apartment!" She cried.

"Why not?" He demanded to know.

Riley took a deep breath, letting out a relenting sigh. "Because I'm sitting outside of your apartment in Quantico."

The words rang like a gun shot through the empty stillness of the hallway. Reid was shocked, trying to understand if he heard her right.

And then a laugh bubbled up through him and emitted out of his mouth. It was light at first, and he believed he had offended her. Listening, her crying had turned into her own giggles… before long, their laughter went out of control, both listening to the sound on the other end.

Once they calmed down, Riley explained herself. "When I woke up this morning… I thought about… going to say goodbye to all of you… to you. And I couldn't believe I was letting you go again. I wasn't even trying to fight for you. So I called the airport, found the first flight to D.C. this afternoon and… flew back not long before your team returned… I thought I'd surprise you."

"That's where you needed to be so urgently." Reid realized.

"That's where." She agreed. Reid thought she might have been smiling.

He gathered his things, standing up and rushing to get to the stairs. "Wait right there," he informed. "I'm on the next available flight."

"Don't worry." She replied. "I'll be here."

…

It took longer to get back to Quantico than Reid anticipated. There wasn't another flight to D.C. until late the next morning. Riley couldn't wait that long, and under consideration, Reid couldn't either. The closest next available flight was to Philadelphia.

Traveling through three time zones, Reid endured a five hour flight across the country. The FBI had spoiled him; traveling all over on the comfortable BAU jet had made a commercial flight fantastically cramped and horrible. Once he made it to Philadelphia, he rented a car and drove the journey three hours south. By the time he pulled up outside his apartment building, it was close to 3 am. The air was cold and frigid. Overhead, the stars were hidden in overcast. Reid had had his fill of rain for awhile.

He went inside; the lock on his building still broken. Reid took his time heading up the stairs, not wanting to seem too eager. The hallway was silent. Reid headed down the hall, having a horrible thought that perhaps she had changed her mind and left. As he turned the corner, he took in the pretty girl leaning against his door, her long stocking legs situated in front of her with her shoes removed. Her sparkling brown eyes lingering on the pages of a book… just like her old self. There had never been a more welcoming sight in front of his door.

"You've really been sitting there the whole time?" he muttered.

She jumped at his voice, gasping a small squeak. Her hand clutched at her heart. "I've told you never to sneak up a girl when she's reading Stephen King."

"Sorry," he said, "What are you reading?"

"Carrie," she said, showing the cover of the book. "I haven't felt like reading in a long time."

"How come?" Reid asked.

"It's difficult when every word you look at sends shooting pains through your head." She set her book aside. "Funny though, when I decided to leave Seattle this morning, my headache just… seemed to go away."

"Wonder why that is," Reid took a few steps closer to her. "So… as for my first question… have you been sitting here the whole time?"

"Almost," she said. "I ran down to the mini-mart on the next street… to grab coffee and use the ladies' room a couple of times."

"You know, if you didn't drink coffee, you wouldn't need to use the restroom so much." He said with a smile.

She gave a small smile, but seemed uncertain. For an instant, Reid feared she had changed her mind. "What is it?" he asked.

"Why did you stay in Seattle?" she voiced. "You seemed pretty certain in your decision a few days ago."

"I know," he answered. He offered his hands to her. She grasped them, pulling herself gingerly to her feet. She held onto them as Reid's eyes looked away from her, suddenly feeling shy. Even spending hours trying to find the right words, he still struggled with what to say. "And… it would be easier just to… move on from this point. But I love you… and I'm miserable without you. And yes, you leaving was so hard for me… and if happens again, it'll probably destroy me, but I don't care. I love you," His eyes closed, a few tears dripping down as he rested his brow against hers. "And if I only get four more months with you, I'll take it. If I only get four more days with you…"

He couldn't look at her. He felt her hands slip out of his and go up to his face. "Spencer," she muttered, bringing him to her gaze. She wouldn't speak again until he opened his eyes. "That's not going to happen; I'm not going to leave this time. I love you." She reached up and kissed him. It was sweet and tender, lasting barely five seconds.

He finally met her eyes, matching hers. She was crying with him. "I will never put you through that again. I promise." She sniffled.

"Listen to me, Riley," he said, looking into her eyes. "I am not going to wind up miserable. Because… no matter what happens in the future… our life together, even if the worse things happen, it could never be as bad as my life without you. You make me so happy… and I will spend every day of my life trying to make you feel the same way."

She giggled through her tears. "I can't believe I was so stupid." Riley's hand reached up and brushed away his tousled hair. "I can't believe I ever gave you up."

Reid's arms wrapped around her, holding her familiar body against him. "I can't believe I was going to let you go."

He leaned down and kissed her again. Everything that had been building up for seven months emerged in their kiss. Riley's arms slipped down and wrapped around his neck. Reid enveloped her in his grasp, their kiss intensifying.

As it ended, their lips parted, remaining in the embrace of each other.

"I love you, Riley," Reid said, smiling.

"I love you, too, Spencer," She replied, her own pleased grin spread over her face. "Now… there's just one more thing I need to know."

"What?" he asked, a little apprehensive.

The smirk on her face turned almost sinful; a seductive glint sparkled in her eyes. "How fast can you get that door open?"

Reid grinned in return and pulled Riley to him again, claiming her lips with his own once more. One hand slipped into his shoulder bag in a frantic search for his keys.

Outside, it was finally snowing.

.

.

.

.

A/N: I hope you guys like how this ended. It's not exactly what I had originally planned, but I think this turned out a lot better. The sequel will be up at the beginning of February. (I'm well into it by this point, so there shouldn't be a major delay like this one.)

I have a few shout outs. I loved all the reviews from everyone, but I especially want to thank SayidRocks, who commented on I think every chapter. I know a lot of people read this, but most don't review and just one comment means a lot.

Also to rachiixox, who sent me the nicest PM ever. She, also, has a current CM story running which I think is fantastic. What better way to pass the time between this story and the next then by reading hers! :)

Also, remember the Morgan/Prentiss poll on my profile. I'm going to leave that open until tomorrow morning. The results won't necessarily effect my decision, but it will help, so if you feel strongly about it, vote or send me a message. I will post a message here when the next story is posted entitled Fear of the Mind.


	33. Update

A/N: I've posted the sequel, but changed the title. It is now called No Good Deed. Hope you guys like it! :)


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